Genomic Characterization of Lumpy Skin Disease Virus in Sardinia, Italy 2025.

Abstract

Lumpy Skin Disease virus (LSDV) is a Capripoxvirus that causes Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), a highly contagious disease of cattle transmitted primarily by blood-feeding arthropods, but also through direct contact and fomites. On 20 June 2025, an outbreak was reported in a beef cattle farm in Orani (Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy), where 21 of 131 animals showed typical clinical signs. Fourteen samples tested positive for LSDV by real-time PCR, and selected specimens underwent whole genome sequencing, generating three high-quality consensus sequences. Phylogenetic analysis placed the Sardinian strains within clade 1.2, closely related to a Nigerian isolate from 2018 and clearly distinct from vaccine-derived strains and those responsible for the Balkan outbreaks between 2012 and 2016. LSD outbreaks also occurred in North Africa during 2023-2024, but genomic data from those episodes are not yet available for comparison. The exact route of introduction into Italy therefore remains uncertain, with possible pathways including windborne dispersal of infected vectors or other anthropogenic activities. This first genomic characterization of LSDV in Italy highlights the need for strengthened genomic and entomological surveillance, data sharing, and integrated approaches to trace virus incursions and assess transboundary risks.