Foot and Mouth Disease

   The following bulletin is provided by the USDA and is pertinent considering the ongoing outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in Europe.   Remember that cattle and swine are especially susceptible to FMD virus and that FMD is perhaps the most rapidly contagious disease known.  In 1981, it even spread by wind currents across the English Channel from France to England.  Because humans can transport FMD virus on clothing, shoes, food, or even by becoming infected themselves, FMD virus has the potential of spreading to the USA.  Cattle or swine with an acute febrile disease that includes vesicle-formation and/or ulceration of the gums, tongue, interdigital skin, coronary bands, and teats are suspect.  DO NOT transport animals suspected of having FMD.  Instead, contact the Indiana State Veterinarian or the USDA Veterinarian in charge immediately.

from Veterinary Services, March 2001  Fact Sheet

  Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cattle and swine.  It also affects sheep, goats, deer, and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.  FMD is not recognized as a zoonotic disease.

  This country has been free of FMD since 1929, when the last of nine U.S. outbreaks was eradicated.

  The disease is characterized by fever and blister-like lesions followed by erosions on the tongue and lips, in the mouth, on the teats, and between the hooves.  Many affected animals recover, but the disease leaves them debilitated.  It causes severe losses in the production of meat and milk.

  Because it spreads widely and rapidly and because it has grave economic as well as clinical consequences, FMD is one of the animal diseases that livestock owners dread most.

What Causes It?

  The disease is caused by a virus.  The virus survives in lymph nodes and bone marrow at neutral pH, but destroyed in muscle when in pH<6.0, i.e., after rigor mortis.  The virus can persist in contaminated fodder and the environment for up to one month, depending on the temperature and pH conditions.

  There are at least seven separate  types and many subtypes of the FMD virus.  Immunity to one type does not protect an animal against other types.

How It Spreads

  FMD viruses can spread by animals, people, or materials that bring the virus into physical contact with susceptible animals.  An outbreak can occur when:

- people wearing contaminated clothes or footwear or using contaminated equipment pass the virus to susceptible animals

- animals carrying the virus are introduced into susceptible herds

- contaminated facilities are used to hold susceptible animals

- contaminated vehicles are used to move susceptible animals

- raw or improperly cooked garbage containing infected meat or animal products is fed to susceptible animals

- susceptible animals are exposed to materials such as hay, feedstuffs, hides, or biologics contaminated with the virus.

- susceptible animals drink common source contaminated water

- a susceptible cow is inseminated by semen from an infected bull.

Signs

  Vesicles (blisters) followed by erosions in the mouth or on the feet and the resulting excessive salivating or lameness are the best known signs of the disease.  Often blisters may not be observed because they easily rupture, leading to erosions.

  Some of these other signs may appear in affected animals during an FMD outbreak.

- Temperatures rise markedly, then usually fall in 2-3 days.

- Ruptured vesicles discharge either clear or cloudy fluid and leave raw, eroded areas surrounded by ragged fragments of loose tissue

- Sticky, foamy, stringy saliva is produced

- Consumption of feed is reduced because of painful tongue and mouth lesions.

- Lameness with reluctance to move is often observed

- Abortions often occur

- Milk flow of infected cows drops abruptly.

- Conception rates may be low

  Meat animals do not normally regain lost weight for many months.  Recovered cows seldom produce milk at their former rates.  FMD can lead to myocarditis (inflammation of the muscular walls of the heart) and death, especially in newborn animals.

Confusion with Other Diseases

  FMD can be confused with several similar, but less harmful, diseases such as vesicular stomatitis, bluetongue, bovine viral diarrhea, and foot rot in cattle, vesicular exanthema of swine, and swine vesicular disease.  Whenever mouth or feet blisters or other typical signs are observed and reported, laboratory tests must be completed to determine whether the disease causing them is FMD.

Where FMD Occurs

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

Prevention and Control

  FMD is one of the most difficult animal infections to control.  Because the disease occurs in many parts of the world, there is always a chance of its accidental introduction into the United States.

  Animals and animal byproducts from areas known to be infected are prohibited entry into this country.

  Livestock animals in this country are highly susceptible to FMD viruses.  If an outbreak occurred in the United States, this disease could spread rapidly to all sections of the country by routine livestock movements unless it was detected early and eradicated immediately.

  If FMD were to spread unchecked, the economic impact could reach billions of dollars in the first year alone.  Deer and wildlife populations could become infected rapidly and could be a source for re-infection of livestock.

What You Can Do

  You can support U.S. efforts against FMD by:

- Watching for excessive salivating, lameness, and other signs of FMD in your herd; and

- Immediately reporting any unusual or suspicious signs of disease to your veterinarian, to State or Federal animal disease control officials, or to your county agricultural agent.

Your participation is vital.  Both the early recognition of disease signs and the prompt notification of veterinary officials are essential if eradication is to be carried out successfully.  Your warning may prevent FMD from becoming established in the United States or, if it does spread, reduce the time and money needed to wipe it out.

For more information about FMD, contact

The APHIS Emergency Operations Center (800) 940-6524

email: emoc@aphis.usda.gov

In Indiana, contact:

Office of the State Veterinarian
805 Beachway Drive, Suite 50
Indianapolis IN 46224

Telephone (317) 227-0300
Fax (317) 227-0330

USDA, APHIS
Area Veterinarian in Charge
6960 Corporate Drive
Indianapolis IN  46278

Telephone:  (317) 290-3300
Fax:  (317) 290-3311

From United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Veterinary Services
March 20, 2001

Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Information for Passengers Traveling to the United States from FMD Infected Regions of the World

  In response to the increasing number of foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks worldwide, travelers to the United States from infected regions need to take steps to help prevent the accidental introduction of the disease into this country.

FMD is not considered a human health risk, but humans can carry the virus on their clothing, shoes, body (particularly the throat and nasal passages) and personal items.  The disease is extremely contagious and spreads easily among cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and deer.  Introduction of FMD into this country would be disastrous to the American livestock industry and wildlife community. For this reason all visits to farms or other livestock facilities in FMD infected areas and all food items and other materials of plant or animal origin in the traveler’s possession must be reported on the U.S. Customs Declaration Form upon entering the country.

The following preventive measures should be taken by travelers to the United States from FMD infected countries.

1. Avoid farms, sale barns, stockyards, animal laboratories, packing houses, zoos, fairs or other animal facilities for 5 days prior to travel.

2. Before travel to the United States, launder or dry clean all clothing and outerwear.  All dirt and soil should be removed from shoes by thorough cleaning prior to wiping with cloth dampened with a bleach solution (5 teaspoons of household bleach in 1 gallon of water).  Luggage and personal items (including watches, cameras, laptops, CD players and cell phones), if soiled, should be wiped with a cloth dampened with a bleach solution.

3. Avoid contact with livestock or wildlife for 5 days after arrival in the United States.  Extra precautionary measures should be taken by people traveling from farms in infected locales to visit or work on farms in the United States. It is advisable that employers or sponsors provide arriving travelers with a clean set of clothing that can be worn after the visitor showers and shampoos thoroughly.  Visitor’s traveling clothes should be laundered or dry cleaned immediately.  Off-farm activities should be scheduled for the visitor’s first 5 days in-country and contact with livestock or wildlife should be strictly avoided.