Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV) recently emerged in Egypt: molecular detection, and assessment of the related hematobiochemical, and risk factors

The lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a notifiable disease caused by a DNA virus of the genus Capripox. Despite application of massive vaccination strategy, LSD still endemic in Egypt with emerging outbreaks and devastating outcome. Therefore, the target of this study was isolation and updated molecular characterization of the emerged circulating strains adding to evaluation of the related biochemical parameters, and risk factors. Tissue samples (168) were collected from infected cattle and used for virus isolation on MDBK, IFAT, molecular detection by PCR amplification, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of both GPCR, and EEV glycoprotein genes. DIVA qPCR was applied to differentiate infected and vaccinated animals. Whole blood, and serum samples were obtained from infected and healthy animals to determine the correlated hematobiochemical parameters. The virus was successfully isolated from 38.69% (65/168) of the tissue samples and confirmed by IFAT. Molecular detection using the GPCR primer set was more sensitive either in the blood (67.26%) (113/168) or tissue samples (88.09%) (148/168). All of the detected virus strains were related to field isolates not vaccinal ones. The constructed phylogenetic tree showed the clear distinguishing of capripox lineages, relatedness of the obtained isolates to each other, and those circulating in Nigeria, and Vietnam. Sex, age, breed, and vaccination were the prominent significant factors. Hematologically, anemia, hypoproteinemia, significant increase in blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, AST, and ALT were recorded in relation with hematological, biochemical, oxidant, and antioxidant parameters changes. In conclusion, this study succeeded in isolation, and molecular detection of circulating LSDV. Also, it highlighted the related risk factors, and the importance of immunization, deep investigation to discover the mode of transmission rather than the known traditional ones.