Although EI is endemic in Europe and North America, and has occurred as an epidemic in many other countries, e.g. Japan, South Africa, Hong Kong, there does not appear to be any published studies of the human response or impacts to EI or the containment strategies used to control this disease. The best reported and documented research with respect to the impacts of infectious animal disease on people is the outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Europe in 2001, specifically in the UK and The Netherlands.