Q1: What is foot-and-mouth disease?

Q2: How is it spread?

Q3: Can people contract it?

Q4: What does it mean for me?

Q5: How can it be prevented? (next page)

Q6: How can it be stopped? (next page)

Q7: Can it be cured? (next page)

Q8: Why not vaccinate? (next page)

Q9: Why slaughter healthy animals? (next page)

Q10: Where will it end? (next page)

Q11: Where could I obtain further information from? (next page)

Q1: What is foot and mouth disease?
It is a highly contagious viral disease endemic to Asia, Africa, South America, the Middle East and parts of Europe. Cloven hoofed livestock such as cattle, sheep, pigs and goats are susceptible. Although horses are resistant to foot-and-mouth, it affects wild animals including hedgehogs, rats, deer and some zoo animals such as elephants.

The disease has an incubation period of 2 to 21 days. but in most cases this can be as short as 3 to 5 days. Infected animals develop fever, nasal discharge and depression followed by vesicles or blisters in the mouth and on the feet which can lead to lameness and anorexia.

There are 7 main types of the virus and several sub-types all of which produce similar symptoms. The different strains can only be identified by laboratory tests The present outbreak is the highly virulent pan-Asiatic 0 type. 

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Q2: How is it spread?
Foot-and-mouth disease is spread by direct or indirect contact with infected animals. They excrete large quantities of virus particles a few days before any signs of the disease develop, allowing the infection to take hold in a variety of ways.

Airborne spread of the virus is one way, with evidence of wind carrying the disease over considerable distances. The disease can also be spread mechanically by contaminated people, equipment and vehicles.

Another source of infection has been traced to imported frozen meat from countries where foot-and-mouth is prevalent. Several outbreaks have also been linked to the consumption of uncooked swill from ships or aeroplanes originating from these countries. Even foot-and-mouth vaccine can transmit the disease.

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Q3: Can people contract it?
According to the Department of Health it is very rare for people to contract foot-and-mouth disease. Only one case has been recorded in Great Britain, which occurred in 1967. In humans, the disease is very mild, short lived and self limiting.

However, there is a human condition called hand, foot-and-mouth disease which is completely unrelated and doesn't affect animals. Known as the Coxsackie virus it is mild but very infectious and children under 10 are particularly susceptible. Symptoms are a sore throat, temperature and blisters. There is no specific treatment and sufferers tend to recover within a week.

If you are concerned, you should consult your G.P.

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Q4: What does it mean for me?
The Food Standards Agency has advised that cases of foot-and-mouth disease have no implications for the human food chain. The reason why temporary controls on the export of live animals, meat and dairy products have been imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food is on the grounds of animal health, not food safety. There is a risk of meat and dairy products transmitting the virus to other animals.

The Food Standards Agency have also reassured consumers that all fresh meat currently on sale in retail outlets will be unaffected by foot-and-mouth disease. Meats which have been cooked or processed pose no threat to human consumption, with respect to foot-and-mouth disease. And milk, cheese and other dairy products may still be safely consumed.

As members of the public, we have a shared responsibility to adhere to government guidelines regarding our use of restricted access areas. However, there are still thousands of leisure attractions unaffected by these restrictions.

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