Industry remains on high alert following first reports of lumpy skin disease in Europe
Lumpy skin disease has been detected for the first time in both France and Italy. Authorities in both countries have confirmed that they are already implementing containment measures in line with international standards to prevent further spread of the disease.
An outbreak of contagious lumpy skin disease was confirmed for the first time in France on 29 June 2025 at a cattle farm in Chambéry, in the Savoie region near the Alps. Authorities in France have clamped down on cattle movement in a 50km radius around the outbreak in the regions – Savoie, Haute-Savoie, Ain and Isere – in order to contain the disease.
Lumpy skin disease is widespread in North Africa but it has recently popped up in Italy where authorities confirmed the disease. On 23 June 2025, new outbreaks were reported in Sardinia and Lombardy in northern Italy.
According to reports the UK has restricted imports of live bovine animals, raw milk and milk products, germplasm, offal due to the recent outbreak in France, the government announced last week.
Past detections in Asia and improving surveillance in Australia
In Asia in 2021, lumpy skin disease was confirmed in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. In March 2022, it was also reported by Indonesia on the island of Sumatra. There have been increased concerns in Australia in the last years, and despite it not being found in the country, there are efforts underway to remain prepared and ensure response capabilities are up to standard. Surveillance and early detection are significant aspects of its plans in preparedness.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) stated: “We have also been studying methods of incursion of the virus into Australia. Northern Australia is considered the most likely place for lumpy skin disease virus incursion, by long-distance wind dispersal of infected insects from neighbouring countries. A key factor in this study is to understand how long the virus can remain viable in the insect and able to infect a host on which it feeds. Results of these studies help Australia to improve surveillance methods and response policy.”
Due to the outbreak in Italy, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry no longer recognises Italy as free from lumpy skin disease and has removed this country from the lumpy skin disease-free country list and the list of countries approved for bovine fluids and tissues, it said on its website.
WOAH stated that the latest outbreaks in France and Italy, with its first-ever occurrence of the disease in these countries, highlights the urgent need for heightened surveillance and coordinated response.
