Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), or aphthous fever, is an acute, highly infectious disease affecting cattle, swine, sheep and other cloven-hoofed livestock. It is a serious disease that can have a devastating economic impact when outbreaks occur in areas usually free of FMD.

According to estimates, world-wide losses resulting from FMD equal or surpass the losses produced by all other infectious or parasitic diseases of cattle combined. The last FMD outbreak in the United States occurred in 1929 and took nine years to control. The disease is endemic to Africa, Asia, South America and parts of Europe, while the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico are considered free of FMD. Western Europe was FMD-free until the most recent outbreak.

Related Links Fact sheets on FMD and http://microvet.arizona.edu/AzVDL/FMDVaccinationRec.html

Caused by a virus, FMD most commonly affects cattle and swine, but other species can be infected, including sheep, goats and wild deer. The disease is often difficult to identify in sheep and goats. FMD does not infect humans.

Prevention of FMD in free areas is centered on keeping the disease out. This requires the complete embargo of animals and animal products from infected areas. This embargo should extend to all material that may come into contact with infected livestock, such as bedding, feeds, handling equipment and vehicles used to move susceptible animals.

Food waste from ships and aircraft, particularly meat scraps and undercooked processed meats, can carry the virus. These waste products should not be fed to swine without thorough cooking. Personal clothing can carry the virus from endemic areas to susceptible livestock. Semen from an infected bull can infect a cow bred using that semen. Physical barriers can be important. For example, the Darien Gap is a tract of impassable land between Colombia and Panama that acts as a physical barrier to prevent the spread of FMD from South America to Central America.

The United States Department of Agriculture and state veterinarians have increased their surveillance to reduce the chance of FMD entering the United States. Locally, the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and Life Sciences offers information regarding foot and mouth disease through several outlets, including the veterinary science and microbiology departments, the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, and the UA Extension veterinarian.

Fact sheets are available at:
http://microvet.arizona.edu/AzVDL/fmd.html
http://microvet.arizona.edu/AzVDL/FMDVaccinationRec.html