Foot-and-mouth disease

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of the acute infectious diseases (highly contagious disease) of animals. Foot-and-mouth disease virus causes the disease which can infect domestic animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer. Generally, it is believed that FMD is not very contagious to humans. However, humans can spread FMD by carrying the virus on their clothes and body. FMD breaks out all over the globe, because it is highly contagious to many animals. The earliest description of FMD was that by Hieronymi Fracastorii (1546). He described the disease, as being unusual and affecting only cattle, when it occurred in northern Italy in 1514.http://www2.asg.wur.nl/UK/products/Vaccines_and.../FMD/FMDHistory/

Where FMD Occurs
While the disease is widespread around the world, North America, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, and many countries in Europe are considered free of FMD. Various types of FMD virus have been found in Africa, South America, Asia, and some parts of Europe.

Symptoms
The most obvious signs of Foot and Mouth Disease are excessive slobbering (letting liquid fall from their mouth), a lack of appetite and lameness (unable to walk properly because of damage to one or both of their legs). Affected animals may experience a sudden rise in temperature, sores in the mouth or other areas.

Signs of Foot and Mouth in cattle
 Slobbering and smacking lips 
 Shivering 
 Tender and sore feet 
 Reduced milk yield 
 Sores and blisters on feet 
 Raised temperature

Signs of Foot and Mouth in pigs 
 Sudden lameness 
 Prefers to lie down 
 Sore on the upper edge of the hoof, where the skin and horn meet, and on the heels

Causes
FMD is caused by a virus. Signs of illness can appear after an incubation period (the time from the moment of exposure to an infectious agent until signs and symptoms of the disease appear) of one to eight days, but often develop within three days. Immunity to one type does not protect an animal against other types.

References

Other websites
 http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/BRMForProducers/English/FADs/FMD_checklist.pdf
 http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/fs_foot_mouth_disease07.pdf 
 http://www.fmdinfo.org/uDocs/pdfofbookforweb767.pdf 
 http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/09/12/105713/Foot-and-Mouth-Symptoms.htm
 http://www2.asg.wur.nl/UK/products/Vaccines_and.../FMD/FMDHistory/
 http://www.rmla.com/FMD.htm 
 http://www.sunflower-health.com/fmd220803/fmdoutbreaks.htm

Category:Diseases caused by viruses
Category:Animal diseases