Media release no.
Dr John Edwards said media coverage from the UK about FMD and BSE had confused people about the two diseases. Dr Edwards said the FMD and BSE were very different diseases and posed different threats to agriculture and public health. Other animals, like horses and humans, are not susceptible to the disease, however they can transport it for short periods. On the other hand, BSE is regarded as a food safety risk. Dr Edwards said BSE was caused by an entirely different agent that was smaller than a virus, called a prion.