There are 7 FMD serotypes, and distinct separate vaccines are necessary for each serotype. Heat at 70 C. kills the virus, pH lower than 6.0 inactivates it. Garbage feeding of swine is a common cause. Livestock never regain their position after infection. Carrier state in cattle may last from 6 to 24 months.
Virus can still circulate after vaccination.
Neither horses nor humans are susceptible. Surviving infected livestock will be immune for a year. Vaccination is only good for 6 months. Most outbreaks are caused by legal or illegal importation of animals and their products. It is a reportable disease in the U.S. States have authority to quarantine livestock movement and to order disinfection of vehicles and personnel, slaughter of infected and contact livestock, destruction of infected carcasses and to try to ring an outbreak.