Vaccination of cattle is the most effective option for controlling the spread of lumpy skin disease, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) experts say.
This is one of the main findings of a scientific statement on the effectiveness of different options for controlling the spread of this economically damaging disease.
The work was requested by the European Commission following the rapid spread of the disease in Greece and Bulgaria and other Balkan countries.
Lumpy skin disease is a viral disease that affects cattle and is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, such as certain species of flies and mosquitoes, or ticks.
EFSA experts say that when vaccination is thoroughly applied, partial culling of affected animals is as effective in eradicating the disease as whole-herd culling, which is currently required under EU legislation.
In particular, vaccination is most effective if applied before the virus enters a region or a country. Experts recommend that vaccination is applied uniformly across all areas.
EFSA used a mathematical model for simulating the spread of the disease according to different control measures.
Lumpy skin disease is present in many African countries. Since 2012, it has been spreading from the Middle East to south-east Europe.
The risk of further spread of the disease is high.
