Differential expression of cytokine genes during natural course of lumpy skin disease virus infection in cattle with varied clinical presentation of the disease

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a re-emerging transboundary viral disease of cattle caused by the lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV), leading to significant economic losses in endemic regions. Clinical manifestation of LSDV infection in cattle varies amongst the hosts and results in high morbidity, while mortality is usually low. This study investigates the host cytokine response to LSDV during natural infections in cattle with varying disease severity. Blood samples were collected from mild and severely affected animals across different day post-symptoms (DPS). Cytokine profiling (IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IFN-γ) by a quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed stronger Th1 and Th2 responses (notably IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN- Lumpy Skin Disease Virus; Cytokine expression, Natural infection; Cattle γ) in mildly affected animals, indicating effective immune activation. In contrast, severely affected animals exhibited elevated IL-6 and TNF-α with delayed IL-2 response suggestive of immune dysregulation. The results indicate a key role of cell-mediated immunity in disease severity of LSDV infection in cattle. The findings provide valuable insight to understand LSDV pathogenesis and will help to device suitable strategies for clinical management and immunotherapeutic interventions.