Detection of lumpy skin disease virus in skin lesions, blood, nasal swabs and milk following preventive vaccination

Lumpy skin disease caused by Capripoxvirus is at the moment the most importantthreat to European cattle industry. The only way for successful control of disease isfast and efficient diagnosis and vaccination. According to EU legislation, vaccinationagainst LDS can be conducted only after confirmation of the disease. Croatia has aspecial position regarding LSD—in 2016, for the first-time vaccination of the entirecattle population was conducted without an index case. The presence of vaccineviral particles was detected in milk, skin nodules, blood and nasal swabs in sevenfrom total of eight herds. The presence of virus genome was detected in five cowsfrom 10 up to 21-day post- vaccination. The virus was successfully isolated on cellculture from 10 up to 21-day post-vaccination from three animals. The obtainedresults support the need for further efforts to develop safer vaccines against LSDV.