Lumpy Skin Disease
Lumpy Skin Disease
Occurrence
For a long time, lumpy skin disease was endemic exclusively in East, South and West Africa. The first detection of lumpy skin disease in the EU occurred in August 2015. The disease was successfully controlled in 2018. There have been no outbreaks in the EU in the years since.
Italy reported its first outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease on 23 June 2025, which occurred at a cattle farm in Sardinia. A further outbreak was reported in northern Italy, in Lombardy, on 25 June 2025. The sudden emergence of LSD in northern Italy is attributable to the movement of animals from the first outbreak farm in Sardinia. Whilst northern Italy saw only a single outbreak, which was eradicated by culling the herd, a more extensive outbreak occurred in Sardinia during the course of 2025.
On 30 June 2025, France reported its first outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, in the Savoie region, in the Chambery area, near the Swiss border. Further outbreaks followed shortly afterwards in the regions of Haute-Savoie, Rhône, Jura, Ain and Doubs. In September 2025, outbreaks followed in the Pyrénées-Orientales region in the south of France.
At the same time as the outbreaks in southern France, Spain also reported its first outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease in north-eastern Catalonia in September 2025. Local secondary outbreaks occurred here too.
To combat the disease, extensive vaccination campaigns were launched in all affected areas, with the exception of the isolated outbreak in northern Italy. These were largely completed by the end of 2025. In addition, as a precautionary measure, vaccination was carried out in the Italian Aosta Valley and several Swiss cantons due to the outbreaks near the border in eastern France. France itself also decided to vaccinate the population in Corsica as a precautionary measure due to its proximity to Sardinia.
Up-to-date information on the disease situation can be found under Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) - KVG
Infection route
The most important role for the spread of lumpy skin disease is indirect pathogen spread by insects and mites (vectors), e.g. horseflies, flies, midges, mosquitoes, mites. Transmission is also possible through direct contact, infected semen, untreated animal hides and skins and their products (e.g. hunting trophies), raw meat products, raw milk products and through animal feed obtained from them, including colostrum.
Prevention
In addition to the culling of infected and susceptible animals in the herd ("total stamping out") and movement restrictions on susceptible animals and animal products, widespread vaccination is considered the most effective measure to combat the disease. The vaccine is not authorised in Austria; its use requires authorisation from the competent authorities.
Technical information
The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) belongs to the genus Capripoxvirus, alongside the sheep pox virus (SPPV) and the goat pox virus (GTPV). In Europe, the host animals are primarily domesticated bovine ruminants (cattle, buffalo, bison, zebu). Despite being kept together with small ruminants and New World camelids, no clinical cases of LSD have occurred in Europe in sheep, goats, alpacas or llamas. Wild ruminants have also not been affected. Tests on roe deer in affected areas of Bulgaria have so far proved negative.
The first detection of Lumpy Skin Disease in the EU occurred in August 2015 in Greece, in the Evros Delta near the Turkish-Greek border. Starting from Greece, the disease spread throughout South-Eastern Europe. In 2016, there were numerous outbreaks in Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo and southern Serbia. In Europe, the animal disease was successfully combated through a range of measures, primarily extensive vaccination programmes. In the Balkan region, the number of Lumpy Skin Disease outbreaks fell from 7,483 in 2016 to 385 in 2017. The European figures confirm that vaccinating cattle with a homologous vaccine – recommended by the EFSA in 2016 – is the most effective way to contain the disease: between 2018 and 2025, no cases of LSD were reported in Europe. It was not until June 2025 that the disease reappeared in Europe, first in Italy, France and Spain. In contrast, local outbreaks continue to occur in Israel, Syria and Turkey. Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Azerbaijan have also recorded cases of LSD. In these countries, heterologous vaccines against LSD were often used. In 2019, the disease was introduced into China, India and Bangladesh; in 2020, into Pakistan, Bhutan, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Vietnam. By 2023, Indonesia had already been affected by LSD. The rapid spread is thought to be caused by the transmission of the pathogen via mites and insects, through contact between animals, as well as through the movement of animals and the dispersal of vectors by wind. The disease is currently widespread in Asia. America, Australia and New Zealand are not yet affected. For the current global distribution, see the WOAH World Animal Health Information Database (WAHID) Interface.
Transmission by vectors – blood-sucking insects and mites – is cited, alongside the movement of subclinically infected animals, as the main cause of the spread of the animal disease in Europe. As vector research is resource-intensive and the direct control of the animal disease has been the top priority in the affected countries, only limited scientifically sound data on vectors in Europe has been collected to date. Transmission of the disease by Culicidae (Aedes aegypti) and Muscidae (Stomoxys calcitrans, Haematobia irritans) as well as by ticks (Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, R. decoloratus and Amblyomma hebraeum) is considered scientifically proven. Other potential vectors include blood-sucking ticks (Ixodidae), Culicidae (mosquitoes), Culicoides (e.g. the midge Culicoides punctatus) and Muscidae (e.g. the black fly Stomoxys calcitrans). The spread of the pathogens is also possible through indirect contact, e.g. via infected semen, through stable equipment that has come into contact with pathogens or through transport vehicles (e.g. via infected insects in the loading area, through tyre contact with scabs that have fallen off infected animals), as well as iatrogenically. Direct contact between infected and healthy adult animals plays a relatively minor role in the transmission of the disease. Calves can become infected whilst suckling from the udder of infected dams. Infected dams may give birth to infected calves with skin lesions. Caprine poxviruses have been detected in untreated animal hides and skins and their products (e.g. hunting trophies), in raw meat products and raw milk products, as well as in animal feed derived from these.
Most outbreaks of LSD in Europe occurred between May and August – the season with the highest vector density. Vaccinations should therefore be carried out before vectors appear. As there is no season in Europe free of vectors, and many vectors are also present in livestock housing, LSD outbreaks have also occurred in some cases outside the aforementioned period. Areas with high cattle density, shared pastures and water sources increased the risk of the disease spreading. Small standing water bodies in the vicinity of farms should therefore be avoided, as they are breeding grounds for insects. Geographical topography played a role only insofar as the concentration of arthropods is greater along watercourses. LSD infections occurred even in areas at altitudes of up to 1,500 metres (Montenegro, Turkey). High vector density, high livestock population density, outbreak clusters around concentrations of farms, as well as a geographical location of the outbreak clusters that was easily accessible by transport, were conducive to the spread of LSD. Mortality and morbidity in infected European cattle herds varied regionally between 0–100% during the outbreak years of 2016 and 2017; on average, morbidity in Albania, for example, was 0.8–7.2%, and mortality 0.3–2.9%.
Symptoms
The course of the disease in cattle is acute to subacute, and sometimes chronic. Typical symptoms include:
- a papulo-vesicular exanthema, which may appear as skin nodules 0.5–5 cm in size, predominantly on the head, neck, tail region, perineum, external genitalia (mastitis!) and extremities. Only 40–50% of cattle develop generalised skin swelling.
- biphasic fever spikes of up to 41 °C
- significantly enlarged lymph nodes
- necrotic lesions in the organs of the respiratory tract (trachea, lungs), in the skeletal muscles, in the subcutaneous tissue, in the stomach and on the uterus
- increased salivation and lacrimation
- Lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss
- Conjunctivitis (may lead to blindness)
- Absence of the tolerance reflex in female animals
- infection-related abortions
In terms of differential diagnosis, infection with BHV-2 (syn. pseudo-lumpy skin disease), with parapox, demodicosis and dermatophilosis, an infection with the bacterium Dermatophilus congolensis, should be considered.
At the slightest suspicion, samples (skin necrosis, tear fluid, nasal secretions, saliva, serum and EDTA blood) should be taken by the official veterinarian.
The following images of symptoms from Bulgaria (2016) were kindly provided by our Bulgarian colleagues. The images show the skin swellings typical of lumpy skin disease.
Control / Prevention
Due to the diversity of the vectors and the resulting control methods, combating LSD vectors posed a major, almost unmanageable challenge for the affected countries in the EU. As a result, very little scientifically sound data is available on vectors in Europe. In addition to the culling of infected and susceptible animals in the herd ("total stamping out") and movement restrictions on susceptible animals and animal products, comprehensive vaccination (95% coverage) with a homologous, attenuated LSDV strain (Neethling) is considered the most effective measure to combat the disease. The vaccine is not authorised in Austria and its use requires authorisation from the competent authorities. 28 days after vaccination, most cattle were protected by antibodies. A small percentage of cattle developed symptoms such as fever, loss of milk, oedema and skin nodules near the injection site 2 weeks after vaccination. The symptoms disappeared after a short time. Vaccinations in Asia with a heterologous vaccine strain, a sheep or goat pox virus strain, are less effective. In these countries (e.g. Turkey), the disease has still not been completely eliminated. Recombinations between field and vaccine strains (Neethling, KSGP) occurred in both Asia and Africa; field infections had incorporated parts of the live vaccine strain, the Neethling strain or KSG strain. Nevertheless, according to scientific expertise, the vaccine based on the Neethling strain, manufactured by a company that produces according to strict GMP rules, is still considered one of the safest vaccines for combating LSD.
Compliance with biosecurity, targeted, timely information campaigns, support for the farming population, the culling of all animals on an infected farm and the disposal of animal carcasses in a manner relevant to the epidemic were major challenges in the affected regions during the outbreak. The use of repellents in stables, the disinfection of agricultural vehicles used in the epidemic area, the affected stables and agricultural tools also made a significant contribution to controlling the vectors.
Diagnostics
Skin lesions, blood and secretions (tears, saliva) are used for diagnostic testing. The samples are analysed using internationally recognised molecular biological (PCR and sequencing), virological (isolation via cell culture) and serological methods (SNT, ELISA). The National Reference Laboratory for caprine pox can distinguish between field strains (including recombinant field strains) and vaccine strains using PCR. The diagnostic methods are also used in exclusion diagnostics. Exclusion diagnostics not only enable the early detection of an outbreak; they also serve to maintain the competence of laboratory diagnostic testing and the contingency plan. Animals with conspicuous skin symptoms are routinely examined as part of exclusion diagnostics. To date, all cases have been LSD-negative.
Sample type for sampling:
Live animals:
- Skin lesions and/or skin scabs
- Saliva (can be collected directly into tubes or swabs – no bacteriological swab transport media)
- Nasal and ocular secretions (using swabs – no bacteriological swab transport media)
- Blood (EDTA/heparin) and serum
Animal carcasses (dead):
- Skin lesions and/or scabs
- Lymph nodes
- Spleen
- Lungs and affected regions of the respiratory tract
- Nasal discharge (using swabs – no bacteriological swab transport media)
Contact
Institut für veterinärmedizinische Untersuchungen Mödling
- vetmed.moedling@ages.at
- +43 50 555 38112
-
Robert Koch-Gasse 17
2340 Mödling
Last updated: 31.03.2026
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