Infected animals develop a fever and blisters on their tongue, lips and between their hooves.
Foot and mouth disease, which was eradicated from the United States in 1929 is easily spread.
And while most animals survive, they are severely debilitated which limits milk and meat production.
The disease is quite hardy in the environment. It can persist for up to a month in contaminate fodder or the environment.
Foot and mouth disease virus is the prototype member of the Aphthovirus genus of the family Picornaviridae.
The virus exist in the form of seven different serotypes: A, O, C, Asia 1 and South African Territories I (SAT I), SAT 2) and SAT 3.
Foot and mouth disease is endemic in large areas of Africa, Asia and South America, and the infection has a remarkable ability to spread over long distances and to cause epidemics in previously free areas.
Sheep act as maintenance hosts often without clinical signs, and can spread the virus to their susceptible animals. Pigs act as amplifiers of the virus by producing 1000 times more virus particles than cattle.
In addition, the virus can remain viable in a variety of materials including fecal material hay, or soil for over 100 days.
Foot and Mouth Disease
