The clinical response of cattle experimentally infected with lumpy skin disease (Neethling) virus

British cattle were inoculated with lumpy skin disease (Neethling) virus and their clinical signs observed over a three week period. Elevation of body temperature following infection was not found to be a consistent feature, and even in severe cases was limited to a peak temperature of 41 degrees C. Generalised lesions were seen 9-14 days post infection (p.i.), and the development of generalised infections did not appear to be dose related. Following intradermal inoculation lesions were detected from day 2 p.i. and first appearance and severity of local reaction appeared to be related to dose. Virus isolation was carried out on ocular, nasal and saliva swabs, and on buffy coat preparations. A transient viraemia was detected in two of eleven animals that did not show generalized signs; virus was not isolated from the secretions of seven animals without generalised signs. Virus was isolated from the peripheral secretions of an animal with generalised disease between 9 and 15 days p.i. and viraemia was detected in each of five animals with generalized signs. Delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions following intradermal inoculation of immune cattle with LSDV were found to be maximal at 24 h after challenge.