DG Livestock terms smuggled vaccines in infected cattle causes deaths

KARACHI: Lumpy skin disease is an infectious, eruptive, and occasionally lethal disease of cattle, according to Dr Nazeer Hussain Kalhoro, Director-General, Livestock Department, Sindh. The condition is characterised by nodules on the skin and other regions of the body. According to him, secondary microorganisms can exacerbate the problem.

He explained that the animal's milk and meat production is reduced as a result, and this results in financial losses for cattle owners. Cattle owners who have injected smuggled vaccines into their affected animals face a severe threat, and that is the reason for the death of livestock. 

In Karachi, the Association of Molecular and Microbial Sciences and the Department of the Microbiology University of Karachi jointly sponsored a seminar on lumpy skin disease. The eradication of this disease will be aided by a mass vaccination effort, he said. While milk and meat can be utilised, he told the audience, this couldn't be conveyed to humans.

Meanwhile, Dr Muhammad Sohail, a faculty member, added that the organisation is working hard to educate the public about this ailment and would hold more awareness seminars.