Retention of lumpy skin disease virus in Stomoxys spp (Stomoxys calcitrans, Stomoxys sitiens, Stomoxys indica) following intrathoracic inoculation, Diptera: Muscidae

Abstract

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging disease of cattle in Kazakhstan and the means of transmission remains uncertain. In the current study, retention of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus (LSDV) by three Stomoxys species following intrathoracic inoculation was demonstrated under laboratory conditions. A virulent LSDV strain was injected into the thorax of flies to bypass the midgut barrier. The fate of the pathogen in the hemolymph of the flies was examined using PCR and virus isolation tests. LSDV was isolated from all three Stomoxys species up to 24h post inoculation while virus DNA was detectable up to 7d post inoculation.

The immune response to lumpy skin disease virus in cattle is influenced by inoculation route

“…One animal that was inoculated with the lowest dose displayed a delayed onset of clinical signs (19 dpi) compared to other cattle in the study (7-9 dpi) (57). The incubation period of 11-12 dpi seen in our study in the RS and RA groups is consistent with previous studies which reported incubation periods following arthropod inoculation of LSDV of 12-26 dpi (19), and 10-14 dpi (20). This data suggests that the incubation period of LSD in the field is longer than the 5-7 days reported in experimental studies using needle inoculation, and more likely to be 10-14 days and possibly longer.…”

“…The pathology is focused on the skin as a multifocal dermatitis with vasculitis of dermal blood vessels, resulting in full-thickness necrosis of the dermis and epidermis (11). Unusually for a poxvirus, direct transmission of LSDV is rarely documented however LSDV can be transmitted by hematophagous arthropods including Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, Rhipicephalus microplus ticks and Stomoxys calcitrans stable flies (14,(16)(17)(18)(19)(20). The main methods for the control and prevention of LSDV are effective surveillance programmes to detect outbreaks, widespread use of live attenuated vaccines, and 'stamping out' of infected herds (20)(21)(22).…”

“…Unusually for a poxvirus, direct transmission of LSDV is rarely documented however LSDV can be transmitted by hematophagous arthropods including Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, Rhipicephalus microplus ticks and Stomoxys calcitrans stable flies (14,(16)(17)(18)(19)(20). The main methods for the control and prevention of LSDV are effective surveillance programmes to detect outbreaks, widespread use of live attenuated vaccines, and 'stamping out' of infected herds (20)(21)(22). LSD has significant socioeconomic implications, particularly in low-and middle-income countries, due to the drop in milk yield, reduced meat production, poor hide quality, cost of control measures and trade restrictions (2,11,23).…”

The Acquisition and Retention of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus by Blood-Feeding Insects Is Influenced by the Source of Virus, the Insect Body Part, and the Time since Feeding

“…These observations are supported by experimental work which has shown that LSDV can be transmitted from clinical donor to naive recipient via Aedes aegypti ( 7 ), Haematopota spp. horse flies ( 14 ), and the biting flies Stomoxys calcitrans , Stomoxys sitiens , and Stomoxys indica ( 14 , 15 ). Experimental transmission of LSDV (but not the disease) has also been demonstrated via Rhipicephalus appendiculatus ticks ( 16 ).…”

The changing epidemiology of lumpy skin disease in Russia since the first introduction from 2015 to 2020

“…Two recent experimental studies demonstrated that S. calcitrans biting flies and Haematopota spp. horseflies (Sohier et al., 2019) and Stomoxys species; Stomoxys calsitrans , Stomoxys sitiens , Stomoxys indica can mechanically transmit LSDV to cattle (Issimov et al., 2021). Overall, Stomoxys flies are considered by far as the most plausible vectors of LSD.…”