Lumpy Skin Disease in France and Italy

For the past month, the European Union has been facing a new outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), with 71 outbreaks reported as of July 24 (34 in France and 37 in Italy). FESASS expresses its full solidarity with French and Italian farmers, as well as with the competent authorities and veterinarians in both countries who are mobilized in the fight against this disease.

The outbreaks are concentrated in limited geographic areas: Savoie and Haute-Savoie in France, and central Sardinia in Italy. However, FESASS urges the utmost vigilance and rigour to prevent any risk of geographic spread of this vector-borne disease and reminds that it is not transmissible to humans.

We welcome the decision to focus management efforts on three key tools for successful eradication: emergency protective vaccination, depopulation of contaminated epidemiological units, and strengthening of biosecurity measures, including a ban on the movement of live animals in, out of, and within the restricted zone (see press release).

This effort is supported by the European Commission, which provides vaccines to Member States through the European Vaccine Bank.