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Lumpy pox 2022

Source: TW

The wide and rapid spread of the Lumpy skin poxvirus in cattle across the desh is rather puzzling.There seem to be lacunae in understanding its spread.

First, there are multiple reports that quarantines to restrict spread widely fail. That seems to be borne out here too. That has led proposal that factors other than contact with saliva or pustules might be in play. This is keeping with the spread in multiple states where the cattle simply could not have come in direct contact.

Others have suggested that it is arthropod borne – insects(?) & ticks which have been shown to be capable of transmitting it in Africa. Lice have been proposed for swinepox. Yet, it is unlikely that ticks/lice have moved all the way from the epicenter in western India to the south in a short while.

Its cousins the sheeppox and goatpox are said to be airborne. Moreover, it has been noted that LSD in cattle is associated with warm rains & places where water might accumulate. Given that there has been a heavy monsoon in the desh, this correlation holds. That makes one wonder if it is a fairly hardy virus that gets airborne & is dispersed long distance via rain clouds –like some bacteria which might be dispersed by rain clouds.

I know that sounds quite far-fetched but the rapid spread across the country does raise questions about transmission that do not have a satisfactory explanation AFAICS.

Checked few things:

The previous outbreak in 2019 & subsequent infections had low case numbers & no pan-Indian spread.
Many states seem to have quickly limited cattle fairs & transport.
Find no data on genomes being sequenced from multiple states.
Fatality seems higher
See cases of buffaloes being infected. Yet to see a confirmed report of deer or camel.