Sample collection
Index case farm (Figure 1) with suspect cases of LSD was visited in the first week of August 2020 in response to the call from farmers. Other in-contact farms and other farms based on the history of animal movement were visited as advised by the farmers of the index case. Samples were collected from animals that meet the case definition for suspected LSD. The working case definition for suspected LSD was any animal having at least two of the below symptoms: a fever, nodular skin lesions, nasal and lachrymal discharge, swollen lymph nodes, and reduced milk production. A total of 42 serum, blood, skin scab, and ocular discharge samples were collected from all clinically affected 16 animals representing 12 cattle and 4 water buffalo. The collected samples were transported to the Central Veterinary Laboratory, Kathmandu maintaining a temperature of 2-8 degree Celsius.