Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a cutaneous disease of livestock caused by a DNA-containing virus belonging to Poxviridae family called Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV). Another name of the virus is Neethling. The disease is characterized mainly by fever, and lesions appearing on the skin. The incubation period is 6-9 days. Mortality of the disease is about 10%, however, secondary infection of lesions can increase the mortality rate. LSD was first recorded in Zambia, South Africa, then spread to Sudan, Nigeria and European countries. According to information provided by OIE, LSD outbreaks also have spread in Middle Eastern countries including Turkey, where it has been considered endemic since 2007-2008. An outbreak of LSD was also reported in Iran in 2013-2014.
Signs of LSD in Azerbaijan were recorded for the first time in the Region (rayon) of Bilasuvar in May of 2014 and reported to OIE. LSD was quickly suspected, as Bilasuvar neighbors Iran which had recently reported LSD. The same clinical signs were subsequently recorded in cattle in the regions of Jalilabad, Aghdash and Udjar. Some of the cases resulted in death. A PCR assay was set up in the Republican Veterinary Laboratory in Azerbaijan in order to test livestock samples for the disease while an epizootological study was conducted to determine the extent of disease spread within the three affected rayons.