Lumpy skin disease in the Middle East – historical and statistical data

Introduction . Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is currently a matter of veterinary concern due to the significant economic losses of the live stock in dustry. The risk of LSD spread and penetration into the disease-free countries is increasing every year. Therefore, timely monitoring of the infection spread for the development a strategy for this disease control becomes of current importance. Description of thedisease manifestations and course, evaluation of historical and statistical data on LSD spread in the Middle Eastern countries as well as the further joint actions at the international level are presented in this review. Objective . Analysis of historical and statistical data on clinical lumpy skin disease in the Middle Eastern countries. Materials and methods . The following electronic databases were used for relevant data searching and collection: PubMed, Web of Science, eLIBRARY.RU, mdpi.com, frontiersin.org, researchgate.net, etc. English literature data for 10 years were analyzed. Results . In 1988 LSD spread outside the African continent then LSD stayed for a short time within the MiddleEastern countries and two years later spread further to the west and east. Despite the further spread, recurrent LSD outbreaks were reported in the Middle Eastern countries over the next few years. Many countries in the Middle East still face the problem of uncontrolled livestock movement, lack of high-quality laboratory diagnostics, and irregular contacts with international health and surveillance organizations aggravated by the unstable political situation in the region. These problems indicate the importance of LSD control at the international level, the significance of regional and international cooperation and effective biosafety policies. Conclusion . Role of the Middle East region in LSD virus spread, probable causes of LSD infection in the region, trends for further actions for LSD control were determined.