Investigation of lumpy skin disease virus in baghdad city

Abstract

In this study, the lumpy skin disease virus was isolated on the lamb testis cell culture for the first time in Iraq. Forty skin nodules were collected from cows suspected with lumpy skin disease (LSD) in Baghdad governorate. Real-time PCR detected LSD virus in 100% of these skin nodules. After that, the lamb testis cell culture was prepared for virus isolation. The prepared samples (0.5 ml) were inoculated into prepared lamb testis cell culture. Cytopathic effects (CPE) of the virus have appeared after 24hr post-inoculation and completed within 72hr. The noticed CPE were cell rounding, aggregation of cells, syncytia formation, and detached of the cells from the cell sheet. Fluids of lamb testis cell culture were examined by the real-time PCR to confirm that the observed CPE was due to the LSD virus. Cell culture fluids were positive by the real-time PCR (100%). Real-time PCR was sensitive for the detection of the LSD virus DNA in skin nodules, and it was a suitable confirmatory diagnosis tool of the virus in the tissue culture fluid. Finally, the locally isolated LSD virus in this study is valuable in future studies for making a vaccine to control the disease.