Indeed, most affected animals could recover given proper treatment and enough time. Natural mortality rates among infected animals are usually less than ten percent. The nature of FMD however, makes it a much feared illness among the agriculture community. It is extremely contagious, and can be carried over long distances on shoes, clothing, farm equipment, and other such items. Looking at the big picture, FMD is really a devastating economic disease.
Infected animals suffer such a loss of body condition that their monetary value becomes nil.
Dairy cattle affected by FMD cease milk production. Economic losses in the current outbreak are measured in millions of dollars weekly. Fears that the virus will spread to other nations in Europe and elsewhere are certainly justified, as an FMD outbreak could be a crippling blow to agriculture in those countries. The concerns over these two animal diseases again highlight the role of the veterinarian in protecting public health. The profession must remain vigilant in guarding against these diseases in order to minimize their effect on our society as a whole.