Serological, virological and molecular diagnosis of an outbreak of lumpy skin disease among cattle in Butana area, Eastern Sudan

Background Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by a virus of the Poxviridae family, genus Capripoxvirus. The disease has great economic effects on the global cattle industry. In this study, an outbreak of LSD among cattle which occurred in Nahr Atbara and Halfa El Jadida locations in Butana area, Kassala State in November, 2020 is described. Methods Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) antibody and nucleic acid were detected in specimens (n = 50) using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results The virus was isolated on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of embryonated chicken eggs and identified by PCR. The number of animals at risk was 295 with a morbidity rate of 4.1% and a mortality rate of 2.4%. Conclusions LSDV was diagnosed for the first time in the Butana region, Kassala State, Eastern Sudan in 2020. The study describes the first outbreak of LSD in the Butana area of the state of Kassala, Eastern Sudan affecting seven cattle herds. On the basis of ELISA and PCR techniques, LSDV was detected in clinically observed cattle, and the virus was isolated on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of chicken embryos and identified by PCR.