Molecular and histopathological confirmation of clinically diagnosed lumpy skin disease in cattle, Baghdad Province of Iraq

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to confirm the clinically diagnosed cattle with lumpy skin disease (LSD) at Baghdad Province/Iraq from October 2018 to March 2019. Materials and Methods: Molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and histopathology were applied for the detection of LSD among 71 infected cattle issued for slaughter. Results: Pre-slaughter clinical examination showed significant increases (p2-5 years (54.93%) rather than other age groups (>5 and <2 years) in females (73.24%) than males (26.76%); and in sub-rural (42.25%) and rural (39.44%) compared to urban (18.31%) areas. Postmortem examination appeared nodular lesions in upper parts of the digestive system (9.86%), rumen (2.82%), upper respiratory tracts (7.04%), and lung (4.23%). The PCR examination of P32 and thymidine kinase antigenic genes showed 90.14% and 60.56% positive samples, respectively. Histopathological analysis of nodular skin biopsies showed edema, hyperemia, acanthosis, severe hydropic degeneration, and hyperkeratosis in epidermis; whereas, mononuclear cell infiltration, inclusion bodies, and vasculitis seen in the dermis. Conclusion: PCR and histopathology assay could be a potential method to confirm the LSD infection concomitant with clinical examination.

Keywords

• cattle
• histopathology
• iraq
• lumpy skin disease
• polymerase chain reaction