Plan to develop local vaccine for LSD

Officials trash fears about use of beef, milk of infected cattle

KARACHI:

Dow University of Health Sciences, in collaboration with Sindh Livestock Department, has announced early development of vaccine for Bovine Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).

This was stated by DUHS Provost Chancellor Prof. Nusrat Shah while addressing a seminar titled "Current Status and Way Forward to Therapy and Prevention of Bovine LSD" organized jointly by the Association of Molecular and Microbiological Sciences at Abdul Qadeer Khan Auditorium, Ojha Campus. Earlier, keynote speaker of the seminar Livestock Sindh Director General Dr Nazir Hussain Kalhoro, Dow College of Biotechnology Principal Prof Mushtaq Hussain also addressed the gathering.

Professor Nusrat Shah said that according to the research done so far, there is no evidence of transmission of Lumpy Skin Disease in humans nor does it have any effect in milk or meat. He said that the country has seen a decline in the consumption of protein by the people so it is important that the consumption of meat should not be abandoned.

He urged the youth to come to veterinary as there is a shortage of veterinary doctors in our country. Earlier addressing the seminar, in response to questions from media and students, Kalhoro said that only five districts of Sindh province are safe from this disease and spread to the rest of the province.

According to the March 23 data, 28,857 cows have been infected in Sindh province while about 250 cattle have died. He said that in our country, on social media, lumpy skin disease is being described as a contagious disease or a contagious or deadly disease for human beings.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2022.