If the slaughterman does have it, he will not be able to pass it on to anyone else as the disease is not contagious, making an epidemic of human foot and mouth impossible. The Cumbrian slaughterman is only the second human in Britain to catch the human form of foot and mouth for almost 40-years. The rash appears as ulcers in the mouth, on the inner cheeks, gums, sides of the tongue, and as bumps or blisters on the hand, feet, and sometimes other parts of the skin. The skin rash may last for 7-10 days. Young children are primarily affected, but it may be seen in adults.
Most cases occur in the summer and early autumn.
Outbreaks may occur among groups of children especially in day care centres or nursery schools. The incubation period is usually 3-5 days. The virus is spread primarily from the faeces of infected persons to the mouth of the next person. Direct contact with the skin blisters may also spread the virus. There is no specific treatment for the virus that causes hand, foot, and mouth disease.