BS: foot and mouth

Subject: foot and mouth
From: Megan L
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 02:03 PM

Once again this horrible disease is sweeping through the UK, comming of the boat today we had to drive over disinfectant soaked carpets and several local events have been cancelled.

Has this affected any catters? remember I said foot and mouth not foot in mouth the cases of the latter are far to common.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: SINSULL
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 02:12 PM

i POSTED YESTERDAY THAT dOLLY THE CLONED SHEEP HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AND PUT IN ISOLATION. iRONIC - tHE MOST TECHNICALLY ADVANCED ANIMAL ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH FALLS VICTIM TO AN ANCIENT MALADY.

Mother Nature is thumbing her nose at us.

Megan,
According to news reports thousands of animals are being slaughtered in order to prevent the spread of the disease. Three or four countries have outbreaks. The entire meat industry including many small family owned farms is in jeopardy. The financial losses will be staggering. And any industry involving animals - horse shows and races, circuses, zoos, etc. could find themselves in the middle of the mess. A disaster.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: nutty
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 02:15 PM

There is another posting in the forum to say that Crediton Folk Festival in Devon has been cancelled but as yet I have not heard of any others - although the desease is still spreading - so only time will tell

I am not affected as I live at the seaside but have been talking to all kinds of people who have come to exercise their dogs on the sands, as all the country walkways are closed

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Greyeyes
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 02:16 PM

Many sports events have been cancelled/postponed, including a major rugby international, which, if it is not rescheduled, (which it is intended to be at present) will cost the Welsh Rugby Union millions. But that's really trivia compared to the numerous livelihoods at stake.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Dave (the ancient mariner)
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 03:08 PM

The farm I worked on in the 60's was protected from a Foot and Mouth outbreak, by spraying antiseptic on a patch of straw and hay laid on every approach. With each track and road covered this way, no vehicle could come on or off the farm without cleaning the tires. We processed and delivered fresh milk every day, and had to be very carefull. The vet who looked after the herd, told us that the disease was probably carried by birds, such as starlings and pigeons. Terrible thing to happen, I saw beautiful horses and cattle destroyed by the thousands. Pray for a quick end or cure to this disease. Yours, Aye. Dave

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 03:11 PM

Hi, I live roughly 20 miles from Willie Cleave's farm in Devon and roughly the same in the other direction from the slaughter house at South Petherwin in Cornwall. The effect is devastating, this is a very rural area and most peoples livelihoods have been affected in some way. The local supermarket was really quiet today, though I saw no signs of the food shortages they were talking about. My husband is a plumber, so you would think that it wouldn't affect him, but most of his work is on local farms, and nobody wants him to visit incase he brings it onto their farm, consequently we are suffering. I was supposed to be making my 1st CD on Friday last - and was really looking forward to it... sadly I felt duty bound to cancel, as I was recording with another lady singer from Somerset, whose husband is a cattle farmer. Yes we have been affected, yes it is awful, yes, it shouldn't have happened! If you can at all, may I implore you not to walk your dogs in public, nor to travel great distances, if people could adhere to this for 2 weeks (the incubation period) we hopefully would be able to contain it! - Having said that, and even though there is a ban on the movement of cattle, I saw a local farmer walk his sheep along the road to another field on Tuesday - how can we hope to contain it with idiots like that? Sadly yours, Lucy

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Sorcha
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 03:25 PM

Crufts Dog Show has been "postponed", which probably means cancelled. I hadn't planned to go, of course, but I was going to watch on TV.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Amergin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 03:41 PM

Ok, forgive my ignorance....but what is foot and mouth? I have heard of the famous foot in mouth disease....and I know what that is, but not this....

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:01 PM

Ah my old alma mater...anyways this might clarify it somewhat Amergin.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:06 PM

now maybe someone can clarify for me why, if horses are not affected by the disease, they would have been destroyed, as well as cloven hoofed animals.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Sorcha
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:14 PM

I thought it was a form of anthrax.......I'd guess they are destroying anything that might move this disease to a new area......but I don't know, of course. The treated straw above sounds a very good idea.....wonder why more places aren't using it?

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:18 PM

that would seem reasonable Sorcha, but why not destroy dogs, cats, pigeons and humans then? Horses can be contained and quarantined for a period of time.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:23 PM

Sorcha, anthrax is spread by bacteria while hoof and mouth is viral disease.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Amergin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:24 PM

Thanks Met...jesus.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:32 PM

Here in Cornwall, most farms and small holdings have got straw 'mats' across their gateways. As for killing everything that moves, well I guess it is just not workable really.... where do we stop, kill the people to? I am really maddened by the fact that animals do survive this virus, it is not a killer, though it is unpleasant - so why not let them just get better? they would then be immune. Also the cattle can be vaccinated against it, but it is not permitted - as to vaccinate british livestock is like admitting that the virus is active in the UK - and that would lead us in the UK to lose certain trade privledges in Europe......Is it me or did the UK government recently have a drive on us all vaccinating our kids against measles ..... so if there was an epidemic of measles are they going to kill our kids? I think not, its maybe not a good example, but it sure as hell seems pretty unfair to me that all this livestock is being slaughtered....... Off my soap box now, Still sad, Lucy

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:34 PM

Metchosin, I haven't read it all but there may be something here that offers an explaination.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: katlaughing
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:37 PM

I agree, Lucy, it doesn't seem right, esp. in view of the ban on vaccinations.

This was in our paper, today: In Ireland, Dublin's St. Patrick's Day festivities on March 17, which were expected to draw half a million people, have been called off following a plea from the government.

Seems the economic effects could be far-reaching.

kat

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:42 PM

Still can't find the implication for horses at either my or your links John.

I don't think they innoculate cattle in Canada either, but I could be wrong. Seems dumb if they don't, I think I recall that there was a scare about it in the wild buffalo (bison) herds here not to many years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: nutty
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:52 PM

As I understand it .... only cloven hooved animals get the disease(sheep, cows , goats) but other animals - such as horses - can carry the disease which, because it is a virus, travels at an amazing speed and can even be airborne.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 04:55 PM

Treated straw might help a bit, but as an old ex Ag Canada employee with a bit of experience in quarantines, to be really safe in that regard, all tires, tracks and boots would have to be scrubbed and disinfected and if it can be spread by flocks of pigeons and starlings feeding on contaminated scattered grain and hay seeds in manure piles etc. it does seem to be a very daunting task indeed. You and your neighbours have my deepest sympathy Lucy.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 05:14 PM

here is a song about it, from the early years of the last century.

There've even been talk of wiping out hedgehogs, because they walk around and don't wipe theirr paws when they stray onto another farm. Meanwhile the wind carries the spores around anyway, but they can't do much about it.

The problem as I understand it is that while it's not in itself a desperately serious disease - animals don't die of normally - they've worked out that slaughtering is cheaper than looking after them, and not having a slaughter policy would bugger up the process of exporting and importing meat and cattle. Which may make economic sense, but it's crazy - the English export beef to France, and the French export it to England and so forth. If we all ate the food produced on the farm up the road, this whole thing wouldn't happen, and we wouldn't be wasting all that energy.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: oggie
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 05:53 PM

It affects cloven-footed animals but can be carried by almost anything including us on our clothes etc which is why walkers are being discouraged. Like the Flu virus it mutates so vaccinations do not stay current, needs revaccinating every 3 months or so and then it may not work on a new strain. A major worry is that it could mutate into a strain which jumps species (scrapie in sheep became BSE in ruminants which became New Variant CJD in humans). It is not just trade in Europe that is affected but trade with ALL countries. Even though it does not (as far as we know) affect humans would you knowingly eat a piece of meat from an animal which had the disease? Not sure I would.

What this does show is just how inter-linked the modern food supply chain is. If you supply meat to a major retailler you are told which abbatoir to use so, as in this case, animals travel 400 miles to slaughter and so the disease can be spread. So far all the outbreaks can show a causal chain back to the first outbreak in Northumberland.

All the best

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:21 PM

oggie, the information in the links Mechosin and I gave indicate that humans can get this disease although it is extremely rare.

Hawker, it must be awful where you are. As far as I know, Norfolk is OK but I would imagine the farmers are still very worried. I have only recently moved from North Wales where I heard that there was one reported case in Gaerwen, Anglsey but as far as I can make out, it was an isolated case in an abatoir from a farm elsewhere.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Cobble
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:28 PM

Sorcha Crufts is to be rescheduled some time in May or June to be anounced at a later date. I was to have shown my Skye Terriers on Thursday and maned the Skye stand in the 'Discover Dogs" exhibition on Sunday. The Kennel Club statement said although they had not been forced to postpone by MAFF they felt they should, to prevent the virus from spreading via cars. As many dog exhibiters live in rural areas I think they have the right idea.

Just hope they don't reschedule when I am on holiday! Our judge was to have been Walter Goodman who comes from Florida, he may be pleased if he gets to come to UK when the weather gets warmer!!

My thoughts are with all the farmers who are affected by this awful situation.

Mrs C.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:37 PM

Hi, Mc Grath of Harlow, I cannot agree more, locally slaughtered meat would indeed be the way to go, and the demise of the local slaughterhouse, leading to farms in Northumberland and Devon using a slaughterhouse in Essex is surely the root cause. Its the old equation Saving vs making Money again - Somehow the world has got it wrong somewhere, surely it's not me being dim again is it? I have just read on the TV text pages that a farmer in Highhampton adjoining Mr Cleave's farm, who has also had to have his livestock slaughtered, called the police and television to his farm, I am not sure what transpired but the man was described as distressed and the police have confiscated his firearm to protect him from himself.... I am distressed just living and watching what is happening here, but to see one's lifes work go up in a huge pyre of smoke would be more than a little distressing, are MAFF or NFU offering any sort of counselling to these guys, I know there is some sort of compensation, but nothing can compensate for the sight of a huge pile of burning carcasses (sorry to be so graphic, but it IS horrible!) Sadder still, Lucy

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 06:45 PM

And isn't it pleasant to know that all governments have quit developing strains of both anthrax and hoof and mouth for use in warfare. I mean like its reassuring to know........isn't it? Places like Plum Island are developing tests and vaccines instead of new human loving strains of hoof and mouth. Glad my government has come completely clean on this. I feel much better now I tell you! Oh yeah..........sure is good to know the truth huh?

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Rollo
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:07 PM

Now they have killed the first suspicious (yet not infected stock in germany, I wonder: what about deer and wild pigs? When there was an outbreak of "schweinepest" (I don't know what this highly infectious pigs disease is called in english) a couple of years ago they started to massacre wild pig populations all over Niedersachsen area... How is wild life threated in GB?

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Jock Morris
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:34 PM

As far as I understand, one of the reasons for not vaccinating is the vaccine can effect milk yields in cattle, plus vaccinated livestock cannot be exported to countries that themselves don't vaccinate.

Another reason for slaughter, rather than treating the animals is that although they recover fairly quickly they can stay infectious for up to 30 months.

Scott

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Greyeyes
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:35 PM

schweinepest is known as classical swine fever in the UK, there was on outbreak recently which many pig farmers are only just recovering from. Another reason that this F&M epidemic is so badly timed.

The reason for slaughtering and burning when most animals would recover is the virulence of the disease. If it was allowed to run its course it would sweep the length & breadth of the country in a few months, and infect practically every cloven hooved beast in the UK. Slaughtering and burning is considered the most effective, in fact the only, way to hope to control it and limit its spread.

People are having to watch their life's work, sometimes the sum of 2 or 3 generations work, go up in smoke. Irreplaceable bloodlines will be lost forever. Let's hope the government finally do something to rationalise food production in the UK, the supermarket's stranglehold is broken, and consumers start to think a bit further than the cheapness of their sunday roast.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Rollo
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:41 PM

"Let's hope (...) consumers start to think a bit further than the cheapness of their sunday roast"

amen to that!

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: nutty
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 07:56 PM

Not much has been said about wild animals although there could be a problem with deer which roam free in many areas of the country - this is probably another reason for limiting movement in the National Parks and countryside

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 08:00 PM

Some further thoughts on its spreading.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Hawker
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 08:28 PM

Hear hear Jon,
Interesting article......
One assumes they have eradicated fling pigs and have that one under control........More's the pity!
Lucy

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 08:52 PM

"plus vaccinated livestock cannot be exported to countries that themselves don't vaccinate"

Which wouldn't be such a bad idea anyway. Britain imports more meat than it exports. So why is it exporting the meat in the first place? All down to economics, but it's crazy economics.

I don't really trust technical fixes, but here's a New Scientist article about new vaccines that could mean the end of the mass slaughter policy, and maybe provide such a fix.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 09:18 PM

McGrath it is a serious disease, it can cripple animals, causing their hooves to slough off and the mortality rate among young animals is high, particularly for those born of mothers that are infected. I have never seen any publications that would suggest that the disease is wind borne, if it was, Canada wouldn't have been able to isolate and eradicate it in 1952. But as in all trading nations there is also political baggage associated with it as well.

The disease has within the last few years devastated Iraq, particularly in the absence of vaccine and has spread into southern Russia and China. Ironically, Britain was one of the nations that sent vaccine to Iraq fairly recently, as humanitarian aid.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Susan of DT
Date: 03 Mar 01 - 11:13 PM

(from dick greenhaus)

THe strain that afflicted the US back in the 20s definitely caused high mortality rates among its victims. It was stamped out by the horrific slaughter of any herd in which any instance of the disease occurred. The only other carrier I heard of was wild deer, who were similarly exterminated en masse.

My father was involved in this operation, and told me about it when I was a kid. I believe it was the disease that led to the discovery of virus infection.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 04:53 AM

Terribly depressing as I went down to my old home last weekend, and drove through to Devon. All gates were closed and signs posted warning trespassers of the consequences, many were blocked by farm machinery, and I had to wave hello to my aunt over a 12 yard 'no go' area in front of her farm. I didn't dare drive over, as I had been in Devon previously. Driving back to Devon the next day, there was a great pall of smoke over a small holding. There can only be two explainations, and as there were no buildings nearby.......

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Llanfair
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 05:43 AM

All the farms here have straw/disinfectant barriers at their gates, though stock high on the hill farms will be more difficult to protect. The farmers are not allowed to move the sheep down to the farm for lambing, so there will be casualties there.
When I went to get poultry food from the agricultural suppliers, car tyres and feet had to be disinfected. Though the suppliers ran out of disinfectant for sale last Tuesday.
The Deri Woods are closed.
Whatever the politics, thousands of animals will die and farmers will give up or go bankrupt because the "powers that be" destroyed the local farming facilities,by closing local slaughterhouses.
Bron.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 06:13 AM

Metchoin, the UK site I linked to does state that this disease is wind bourne. Here is the relevant part of the FAQ.

Q How is it spread?
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease that can spread by direct or indirect contact with infected animals. Infected animals begin by excreting the virus a few days before signs of the disease develop. Pigs in particular produce large numbers of virus particles.

Airborne spread of the disease takes place readily. The prevailing meteorological conditions and local topography determine the distance that the disease can travel and this may be considerable. For example, circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the outbreak on the Isle of Wight in 1981 resulted from the airborne spread of the of the virus from Brittany in northern France.

The disease is also spread mechanically by the movement of animals, persons, vehicles and other things, which have been contaminated by the virus.

Meat from the carcase of animals infected with FMD at the time of slaughter can transmit the virus. In the past outbreaks of the disease have been linked with the importation of infected meat and meat products.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Sorcha
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 10:59 AM

The whole mess is just too, too tragic. Are there any plans afoot in UK for the government to compensate these people in any way? (snide aside--the Royal Family's "allowance" could make a big dent in the losses"

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Penny S.
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 11:18 AM

Two radio items - yesterday, a caller to a phone in, who sounded informed, stated that research had failed to show any transmission via wild birds, especially starlings - also, an earlier program reported a case in an earlier outbreak, in which moist air flowing above a river, had carried virus down from an infected farm to others in the valley.

Penny S.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 11:51 AM

Thanks Jon, missed that, might be controllable by covering manure piles as required here, but not for the stuff deposited out in fields. Gawd what a daunting task. Another reason for Britain and other areas of Europe to stop using carrion for protein in their stock feed.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:07 PM

or for all Western powers for that matter, to stop bombing the infrastructure of countries such as Yugoslavia and Iraq (both of which have had epidemics recently) We live in a very small world and the ramifications of our actions soon come home to roost.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: MARINER
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:13 PM

In the last U.K. outbreak Foot and Mouth was kept out of Ireland by discouraging people from travelling to the country and by disenfecting all at ports and airports. This time could proove different. Open borders and regular to and froing between both countries make it a lot more difficult that 1967. And then we have greed. The outbreak in Northern Ireland appears to have been caused by lambs brought from a market in Carlisle, some of which (270)have been smuggled over the border into the Republic.Now all these animals are tagged. For some strange reason the inspectors in the Republics plant never noticed that the 270 lambs had there ear tags removed, and slaughtered them. Greed! So far there has been no confirmed outbreak in The Republic, if we stay free it will be nothing short of a miracle.Foot and Mouth is a blow to any country's economy.In the U.K.its something like .1% of the G.N.P.whereas in The Irish Republic it's 25% We get it in Ireland we're done for , bye , bye Celtic Tiger.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:36 PM

One bright spot people might be that the virus is sensitive to environmental influences, "such as pH less than 5, sunlight and dessication, however it can survive for long period of time at freezing temperatures." Hopefully you have a warm dry spring as that will offer some natural control.

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: sian, west wales
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:44 PM

It hasn't reached West Wales (I'm not going to say, Yet) but things are closed up tight. We've got all the disinfectant precautions as above. All public paths are closed, as are National Parks and National Trust properties. Local Authorities have very broad powers and I was told yesterday that Pembrokeshire County Council have even banned funerals other than those attended only by immediate family. They didn't really need to do this, as no farm family, or sensitive other rural dweller, would even think of going. My aunt in North Wales was rushed to hospital with gall stones on Tues. night but I can't go visit as I would have to go through infected territory ... and it isn't worth the risk.

This time of year all areas hold their local Urdd Eisteddodau (music/literature competitory festival) which feed into the main annual event in May. Most, if not all, are now cancelled, which is a real blow for Welsh speaking Welshpeople.

And still we get people coming in from the urban areas with their dogs and giving park Wardens grief when they are turned away.

There's a very good article today on the front page of The Independent - perhaps it will be on line somewhere. It shows that MAFF is not interested in either human or animal welfare but in keeping big agricultural businesses safe.

We've also had the first reports of F&M on Dartmoor ... which they say could mean culling the wild ponies.

Oh, and re: the counselling ...yes, there is a network of services available, largely through the Churches. There are also agricultural charities which are standing assurance to feed and food providers, in the event that farm families can't afford to feed themselves or their animals. They expect that the real crunch will come in a few weeks, when the realities start sinking in.

This is not a happy situation.

sian

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 12:57 PM

Shit! why cull them? just keep them to a more confined area. Don't suppose they will cull the Queen's horses or Prince Charles polo ponies......

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Greyeyes
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 01:00 PM

I think this is the article you mean Sian. Click here

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 01:08 PM

Interesting article Greyeyes but there seems to be a bit of a discrepancy in that article between what the newspapers say about the virulence of the disease and what is documented elsewhere regarding mortality.....hmmm

Subject: RE: BS: foot and mouth
From: Metchosin
Date: 04 Mar 01 - 01:24 PM

It would be interesting to find out what strain is currently in Britain. Here is more than you would ever want to know about it.

"Foot-and-mouth disease = hoof-and-mouth disease

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), also called HOOF-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, or AFTOSA, a highly contagious viral disease affecting practically all cloven-footed mammals, including cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. Wild herbivores such as bison, deer, antelope, reindeer, llama, camel, giraffe, and elephant are also susceptible. The horse is resistant to the infection. The disease is characterized by the formation of painful fluid-filled vesicles (blisters) on the tongue, lips, and other tissues of the mouth and on parts of the body where the skin is thin, as on the udder and teats, between the two toes of the feet, and around the coronary band above the hoof.

There are seven major immunologically distinct types of the foot-and-mouth virus, and these types affect different species and produce symptoms of differing severity. The virus is spread by both inhalation and ingestion, and it has an affinity for epithelium (the covering of the skin and mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract); it forms a primary vesicle where it gains entrance in the body. Within 24 to 48 hours it enters the bloodstream, causing fever. During this phase, lasting 24 to 36 hours, the virus isexcreted in the saliva, the milk, the urine, and the feces. A characteristic smacking of the lips then usually becomes prominent in the infected animal, ushering in the phase of the formation of vesicles on the tongue, gums, and lips of the mouth. These vesicles rupture in about 24 hours, leaving raw, inflamed, and extremely painful surfaces that heal in one to two weeks. By this time the animal refuses to eat solid food. Blisters also appear on the foot, causing lameness.

The losses caused by foot-and mouth disease are tremendous. The mortality in ordinary mild epizootics (animal epidemics) is only about 5 percent, but malignant forms of the disease have led to losses of up to 50 percent. In those animals that survive, great losses in weight occur because the animals cannot eat. In surviving milk-producing animals the flow of milk is sharply diminished. Abortions and mastitis are common, and secondary infections are frequent.

Foot-and-mouth disease is endemic throughout much of Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. The virus can survive for relatively long periods of time in the air, in food and garbage, and even in hides, hair, and wool, so measures for controlling the disease are necessarily rigorous. A diagnosis of the affected animals must be made quickly and the area quarantined, after which all infected or susceptible animals are slaughtered and their carcasses burned. Other contaminated objects are cleaned and disinfected, and the farm or other quarantined area is left uninhabited for several months. The development of effective vaccines has helped control epidemics but has not eliminated the disease. As a result of strict quarantine measures and the prompt destruction of infected animals, North America has remained largely free of the disease; the last major outbreak in the United States was in 1929. There is no effective treatment for infected animals."