Vector-borne transmission of lumpy skin disease virus

块状皮肤病病毒(LSDV)是块状皮肤病(LSD)的病原体，LSD是非洲和中东牛的一种地方性疾病，在那里它会造成巨大的经济损失，并成为贸易壁垒。自2012年以来，LSDV已经蔓延到土耳其、欧洲、高加索和俄罗斯。疫情导致数千头牛被宰杀，大规模疫苗接种运动，动物流动限制和出口禁令。阻碍控制努力的关键知识差距之一是理解LSD是如何从动物传播到动物和从牛群传播到牛群的。近年来，LSD专家小组和许多LSD主题研讨会都将通过媒介传播LSD的研究确定为高度优先事项。这项研究项目将解决这一问题。项目假设是：活的LSDV在合适的位置持续存在于昆虫媒介中，并有足够的时间继续传播到数百公里外的牛身上。这项拟议的工作涉及两个目标，并行运行18个月。目的1确定最有可能传播LSDV的媒介群。这一目标将在皮尔布赖特研究所的高度封闭设施中通过潜在的昆虫媒介从受感染的牛身上进行LSDV的实验传播。这些研究将使用现代病毒检测技术来区分机械传播和生物传播，并估计欧洲存在的不同昆虫媒介的风险。将调查四种昆虫的媒介潜力，包括Stomoxsis calcitrans(稳定蝇)、Culicoids nubeculosus midge、埃及伊蚊和致倦库蚊。这四个物种是根据它们在受影响和/或受威胁地区的分布、文献中关于它们与LSDV传播的实验或流行病学联系的证据以及它们代表不同的摄食机制(食日性和食端性)而选择的。目的2评估LSDV构成的风险和不同控制措施的潜在影响。本目标将把实验结果整合到LSDV模型中，从而探索疾病风险和不同控制措施的影响。总括而言，该计划将提供有关LSDV经媒介传播的科学证据，以便设计有效及成比例的LSD控制计划，以及控制目前的欧亚LSD疫情。该计划利用皮尔布赖特在块状皮肤病研究、家畜病毒疾病多尺度模拟、食血昆虫生物学、天然反刍动物宿主与媒介之间的病毒活体传播研究，以及节肢动物尖端生物成像方面的独特及世界级专业知识，研究LSDV经由媒介传播的问题。该项目是由工业合作伙伴MSD Animal Health赞助的，MSD Animal Health是广泛使用的LSD Lumpyvax疫苗的生产商。MSD Animal Health正在与皮尔布赖特合作开展这一项目，以期通过旨在减少LSDV媒介传播的科学合理的控制计划来加强LSD疫苗接种活动。这种做法符合默克动物健康公司的理念，即他们的责任超出了他们的主要业务目标。通过支持这一研究项目，他们旨在为控制和根除LSD的努力增加价值，从而为环境和整个社会带来好处。该项目也得到了DEFRA的支持，DEFRA是英国负责保护英国免受隆起皮肤病(LSD)等外来疾病影响的政府部门。这种支持强调了这项研究将对降低LSD入侵英国的风险，并促进其迅速根除(如果确实发生)的影响。

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) is the causative agent of lumpy skin disease (LSD), an endemic disease of cattle in Africa and the Middle East where it produces significant economic loss and acts as a barrier to trade. Since 2012 LSDV has spread into Turkey, Europe, the Caucasus and Russia . The epidemic has resulted in the slaughter of thousands of cattle, mass vaccination campaigns, animal movement restrictions and export bans. One of the key knowledge gaps hampering control efforts is an understanding of how LSD is transmitted from animal to animal and herd to herd. LSD expert panels and numerous LSD-themed workshops in recent years have all identified research into vector-borne transmission of LSD as a high priority. This will be addressed in this research project.The project hypothesis is:Viable LSDV persists in insect vectors at suitable sites and for sufficient time to allow onward transmission to cattle hundreds of kilometres distant.This proposed work involves two objectives running in parallel over 18 months. Objective 1 To identify the most likely vector group responsible for transmission of LSDV. This objective will undertake experimental transmission of LSDV from infected cattle by potential insect vectors in the high containment facilities at The Pirbright Institute. These studies will use contemporary virus detection techniques to distinguish between mechanical and biological transmission, and estimate the risk of different insect vectors that are present in Europe. The vector potential of four insect species, Stomoxysis calcitrans (stable flies), Culicoides nubeculosus midge, and Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes, will be investigated. The four species were each selected on the basis of their distribution in affected and / or threatened areas, evidence from the literature of their experimental or epidemiological link to LSDV transmission, and because they represent different feeding mechanisms (solenophagous vs telmophagous).Objective 2 To assess the risk posed by LSDV and the potential impact of different control measures.This objective will integrate the experimental results into models of LSDV and, hence, explore the risk of disease and impact of different control measures. Overall the project will provide scientific evidence on vector-borne transmission of LSDV to enable effective and proportional LSD control programmes to be designed and the current Eurasian LSD epidemic to be contained.The project utilises the unique and world-class expertise at Pirbright in lumpy skin disease research, multi-scale modelling of viral diseases of livestock, the biology of blood-feeding insects, in vivo transmission studies of viruses between natural ruminant hosts and vectors, and cutting-edge bioimaging of arthropods to study vector-borne transmission of LSDV. The project is sponsored by an industrial partner MSD Animal Health, producer of the widely used Lumpyvax vaccine against LSD. MSD Animal Health are partnering Pirbright in this project to enable LSD vaccination campaigns to be augmented with scientifically rational control programmes aimed at reducing vector-borne transmission of LSDV. This approach is in accordance with Merck Animal Health's philosophy that their responsibilities extend beyond their primary business goals. By supporting this research project they aim to add value to efforts to control and eradicate LSD and thereby provide benefit to the environment and wider society as a whole.The project is also supported by DEFRA, the UK government department responsible for protecting the UK from exotic diseases such as lumpy skin disease (LSD). This support emphasises the impact this research will have on reducing the risk of LSD incursion into the UK, and facilitating its rapid eradication if it does occur.