Q
What is it?
It is a highly
infectious viral disease in which fever is followed by the development
of vesicles or blisters - chiefly in the mouth or on the feet.
There are 7 main types of virus, which produce similar symptoms
and which can only be differentiated in the laboratory. Back
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QWhich other countries have recently
had FMD?
FMD is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and
South America, with sporadic outbreaks in disease-free areas.
Countries affected by FMD in the past twelve months include
Butan, Brazil, Columbia, Egypt, Georgia, Japan, Kazakhstan,
Korea, Kuwait, Malawi, Malaysia, Mongolia, Namibia, Russia,
South Africa, Taipei, Tajikstan, Uruguay and Zambia. The last
major outbreak of the disease in the EU was in Greece last
year. Back
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Q
How is it spread?
Foot-and-mouth
disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease that can
spread by direct or indirect contact with infected animals.
Infected animals begin by excreting the virus a few days
before signs of the disease develop. Pigs in particular
produce large numbers of virus particles. Airborne spread
of the disease takes place readily. The prevailing meteorological
conditions and local topography determine the distance
that the disease can travel and this may be considerable.
For example, circumstantial evidence strongly suggests
that the outbreak on the Isle of Wight in 1981 resulted
from the airborne spread of the of the virus from Brittany
in northern France. The disease is also spread mechanically
by the movement of animals, persons, vehicles and other
things, which have been contaminated by the virus. Meat
from the carcase of animals infected with FMD at the time
of slaughter can transmit the virus. In the past outbreaks
of the disease have been linked with the importation of
infected meat and meat products. Back
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Q
Can people contract the disease?
Advice from the Department of Health is that it is very rare.
There has only been one recorded case of FMD in a human being
in Great Britain in 1966. The general effects of the disease
in that case were similar to influenza with some blisters.
It is a mild short lived, self-limiting disease. The Food
Standards Agency has advised that the disease has no implications
for the human food chain. There is however a human condition
called Hand, Foot and Mouth disease, which is unrelated. It
will not affect animals. If you are concerned you should contact
your GP. Back
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Q
Which animals are susceptible?
Cattle, sheep, pigs and goats are susceptible and some wild
animal such as hedgehogs, coypu, rats, deer and zoo animals
including elephants. Back
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Q
What are the symptoms?
Vesicles (blisters) in the mouth or on the feet and other
symptoms which vary somewhat but may be:
CATTLE
- Fever, dullness, off feed, shivering, reduced milk yield
and sore teats in milking stock, slavering, tenderness of
feet or lameness.
SHEEP
AND GOATS - Fever, lameness, stiff legged walk,
off colour, tendency to lie down.
PIGS
- Fever, lameness, dullness, off feed. Back
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Q
What kinds of virus are there?
There are
7 main types: O, A, C, SAT.1, SAT.2, SAT.3, and Asia 1. Within
each type there are many sub-types, e.g. O1 and A22. The average
incubation period is 3-8 days but it can be shorter or may extend
to 14 days or longer. It has been confirmed that the virus responsible
for the present outbreak is the highly virulent pan-Asiatic
O type. When animals recover from infection by one type of virus
they have little or no protection against attacks by any one
of the others.Back
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Q
How is the virus destroyed?
It can be destroyed by heat, low humidity, or certain disinfectants,
but it may remain active for a varying time in a suitable medium
such as the frozen or chilled carcase of an infected animal
and on contaminated objects. Back
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Q
What are the effects of FMD?
The disease
is rarely fatal, except in the case of very young animals, which
may die without showing any symptoms. All affected animals lose
condition and secondary bacterial infections may prolong convalescence.
The most serious effects of the disease however are seen in
dairy cattle. Loss of milk yield, abortion, sterility, chronic
mastitis, and chronic lameness are commonplace. Back
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Q
Can FMD be cured?
There is no cure. It usually runs its course in 2 or 3 weeks
after which the great majority of animals recover naturally.
The justification of the slaughter policy is that widespread
disease throughout the country would be economically disastrous
due to the effects already noted above. Back
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Source: MAFF,
2001 |
