IRTA-CReSA coordinates the Scientific Committee on Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in Catalonia to advise the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food
The Committee is working on the characterization of the virus and the evaluation of measures to control, contain and eradicate the disease.
At IRTA-CReSA we have activated a scientific committee to strengthen surveillance and research on lumpy skin disease (LSD) at the request of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food. The function of this committee is to advise, recommend and provide scientific support in the LSD episode in order to contain the outbreak, mainly by culling positive herds and vaccinating.
During the week, IRTA-CReSA teams have traveled to the territory to collect samples from the detected outbreaks in order to isolate and sequence the virus. This analysis will allow them to determine its origin and improve epidemiological surveillance strategies.
As Enric Vidal, researcher in the Animal Health program at IRTA-CReSA, points out: “the important thing is to be able to isolate the strain of this virus and try to determine its sequence, its genome, to be able to compare it with that of other outbreaks in other areas and to be able to discover how the transmission to Catalonia has been.”
A committee with members from IRTA-CReSA, the UAB and the support of international teams
The scientific committee on lumpy skin disease is made up of researchers and technicians from IRTA-CReSA and the UAB specialized in pathological anatomy and veterinary epidemiology. Its members include Mariano Domingo, Natàlia Majó, Enric Vidal, Cristina Lorca, Carles Vilalta, Alberto Allepuz, Lola Pailler and Francisco Domenes. In addition, the committee has the occasional support of expert researchers from France and Italy, countries where cases of lumpy skin disease have already been detected. The commiteee is open to other collaborations whenever necessary.
It currently works in two main areas. The first is the genetic characterization of the virus to determine its origin, and the second, advising DARPA on measures to contain and eradicate the disease, such as evaluating the vaccination plan.
“The emergence of the DNC in Catalonia reminds us of the importance of having prepared research and an active surveillance network. Scientific knowledge is essential to protect animal health and the sustainability of farms,” says Vidal.
IRTA highlights the importance of combining scientific research, health surveillance and cooperation with the livestock sector to ensure a rapid and effective response to emerging diseases.
Enric Vidal, in the media
Thanks to the prestige of IRTA-CReSA as a reference center in animal health, the media has requested the center’s collaboration to explain the details related to the disease. The person who took up this assignment has been researcher Enric Vidal, who has participated in several radio and television programs as a reference scientist. The most recent interventions have been on Telenotícies Vespre on 3Cat (minute 20.20) and on the news on La Xarxa (1.21.50).
