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.