Antibiotic versus no antibiotic approach in the management of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle

Abstract

Antibiotics do not show effect on infections of solely viral origin. Lumpy Skin Disease is a viral disease where antibiotics are not clinically indicated. Due to monetary worth of high producing animals, Veterinarians are resorting to use antibiotics in LSD as a preventive measure against secondary bacterial infections. Eighteen animals with lumps on the skin were selected and randomly distributed into 3 groups of 6 animals each. Two groups were treated with commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotics and the third group was treated with Neem oil topically over the lesions and were offered fresh Neem leaves smoke. As a result, Lumpy skin disease was treated economically without the inclusion of antibiotics where Neem oil and fresh neem leaves smoke guarded the animals from the risk of secondary bacterial infection. This approach eliminates the risk of antimicrobial resistance, minimises the cost of treatment, and eliminates antibiotic induced undesirable depopulation of rumen microflora.