India Risks Renewed Lumpy Skin Disease Outbreaks by Ignoring Indigenous Vaccine, Say Experts

 New Delhi — India is courting a fresh wave of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) outbreaks among cattle by continuing to rely on an outdated and less effective goatpox vaccine, despite the availability of a scientifically validated indigenous vaccine, warns Dr. Naveen Kumar, Director of the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.

LSD, a highly contagious viral disease affecting cattle and water buffalo, has recently resurfaced in parts of Maharashtra, with new cases reported from Pune, Akola, Satara, and Buldhana districts. While the country lost hundreds of thousands of cattle during the 2022 outbreak, most Indian states are still administering the goatpox vaccine — developed originally for goats — despite the availability of a purpose-built LSD-specific vaccine since 2022.

Indigenous Vaccine Proven but Undervalued

Dr. Kumar, the lead inventor of India’s only homologous vaccine against LSD — Lumpi-ProVac — has raised concerns over the continued use of the goatpox vaccine. "Despite the availability of a safe, effective, and homologous vaccine, the country continues to use the goatpox vaccine," Kumar told News18.

Developed during his tenure at the ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE), Hisar, Kumar's vaccine uses a live-attenuated Ranchi strain of the LSD virus. It underwent rigorous experimental trials, including field testing on over 279,000 animals, and offers 100% protection with no adverse side effects. Published data on nearly 27,000 vaccinated animals underscores its safety and efficacy — far surpassing global Neethling-based vaccines, which are associated with adverse reactions in up to 15% of vaccinated cattle.

“India is facing a critical moment. With waning herd immunity from the 2022 outbreak, a significant resurgence is likely in 2025 if mass vaccination with the LSD-specific vaccine is not urgently undertaken,” Kumar warned.

Dual Vaccine Policy and Regulatory Confusion

On June 11, 2025, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) issued an advisory allowing both the LSD-specific vaccine and the goatpox vaccine. However, it did not mandate the discontinuation of goatpox, resulting in policy ambiguity at the state level.

“This dual-vaccine policy has led to widespread confusion,” said Dr. B.N. Tripathi, co-inventor of Lumpi-ProVac and former Deputy Director General (Animal Science) at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). “States continue prioritising goatpox due to stockpiles and the absence of clear instructions, despite its limited protection and the risk it poses.”

Tripathi and Kumar warn that simultaneous use of both vaccines — based on different viral strains — could cause genetic recombination between the goatpox (Uttarkashi strain) and LSD (Ranchi strain) viruses, potentially leading to a more virulent mutant strain.

Goatpox Vaccine: High Cost, Low Return

Despite vaccinating over 100 million cattle annually with goatpox since 2021, no conclusive evidence supports its efficacy. Maharashtra alone reported over 418,000 LSD cases and 32,000 cattle deaths in 2022 — all despite goatpox vaccination. Public expenditure on the vaccine has already surpassed ₹400 crore annually.

“This strategy is unsustainable and scientifically unsound,” said Tripathi, now Vice-Chancellor of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Jammu. He recently wrote to the DAHD Secretary urging the immediate adoption of Lumpi-ProVac, which has been approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

“Opposition to the vaccine has been politically motivated and devoid of scientific reasoning,” Tripathi asserted.

A Global-Standard Solution, Yet Underutilised

Lumpi-ProVac was licensed for commercial use in 2022 following extensive trials on pregnant and lactating cows. It is now manufactured by five licensed firms, including Biovet (a Bharat Biotech company), Hester Biosciences, Indian Immunologicals Ltd, IVBP Pune, and a Karnataka government unit. Marketed as Biolumpivaxin, the vaccine costs just ₹1–2 per dose and has demonstrated transformational outcomes.

Notably, it is the world’s only DIVA (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals) marker vaccine — a standard recognised by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). This provides India a critical edge in global cattle trade and eligibility for "freedom from infection" status, a goal unattainable with the goatpox vaccine.

Real-World Success: Yogi Adityanath's Gaushala Case

In a notable example, Lumpi-ProVac was deployed at the behest of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after goatpox vaccination failed to curb an outbreak in his Gorakhpur gaushala. The indigenous vaccine quickly controlled the spread, leading Yogi to hail it as a “chamatkarik parinam” (miraculous outcome) during the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) convocation in June 2025. He also expressed his displeasure over the slow national rollout.

Conclusion: A Call for Urgent Policy Shift

Experts unanimously agree: India's current vaccine strategy is misaligned with scientific evidence. Unless the DAHD issues a clear directive to phase out goatpox and scale up the deployment of Lumpi-ProVac, the country may once again face catastrophic livestock losses.

“The science is settled. The vaccine works. The infrastructure is ready. What we now need is decisive policy action,” Tripathi said.

With herd immunity fading and monsoon conditions accelerating disease spread, India’s window for proactive prevention is rapidly closing. As experts call for clarity and urgency, the question remains: will policy catch up with science before it’s too late?