In news– A memorandum of understanding for production of the Goat Pox vaccine and “Lumpi-ProVac” vaccine was signed recently.
About the vaccine-
- ’Lumpi-ProVacInd’ is safe in animals and induces LSDV-specific antibody-and cell-mediated immune response, besides providing complete protection against lethal LSDV challenge.
- It is used for the prophylactic immunization of animals against Lumpy Skin Disease, which illicit protection for about one year.
- A single dose of the vaccine contains 103.5 TCID50 of live-attenuated LSDV (Ranchi strain).
- The vaccine is stored at 4°C. The vaccine must be shipped on ice and must be used within a few hours after reconstitution. The patent has been filed by the ICAR for the technology.
- National Centre for Veterinary Type Culture, ICAR-NRCE, Hisar in collaboration with ICAR-IVRI, Izatnagar, UP has developed a homologous live-attenuated LSD vaccine, named Lumpi-ProVacInd.
- Agrinnovate India Limited, the commercial department of Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare granted “Non-Exclusive Rights” for Commercial production of “Lumpi-ProVac”, to Institute of Veterinary Biological Products (IVBP) recently.
What is Lumpy Skin Disease?
- Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a contagious viral disease of cattle and buffalo that causes relatively low mortality.
- It does not affect humans. The disease can result in animal welfare issues and significant production losses.
- The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is a virus of the capripoxvirus genus in the poxviridae family.
- It is transmitted by insects that feed on blood, like mosquitoes, ticks, and certain species of flies. Lumpy skin disease also spreads through contaminated fodder and water.
- The disease causes fever, nodules on the skin and can be fatal, especially in animals that have never been exposed to the virus.
- The Lumpy Skin Disease has been reported in India from 2019 while the first case was reported in the state of Odisha. After that, it has spread to multiple states in the country.
- It rapidly spread in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
- In 2019, death of a large number of cattle was reported from different states with high morbidity, especially in the North-West region of the country.
- Currently, the disease has been controlled and contained with the available Goat Pox vaccine in the country.
