All you never really wanted to know about foot-and-mouth disease but feel you have to ask:
What Is It?
Foot-and-mouth is a highly infectious viral disease. It starts with a fever which is followed by the development of vesicles or blisters, chiefly in the mouth or on the feet.
Can I Get It?
Humans very rarely get foot-and-mouth, and when they do, it's a mild disease, with symptoms similar to influenza with some blisters. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has advised that foot-and-mouth is an animal, not a public, health issue.
Which Animals Are Affected?
Cattle, sheep, pigs and goats are susceptible as well as some wild animals such as hedgehogs, coypu, rats, deer and zoo animals, including elephants.
What Is This Virus?
An aphthovirus, it can survive pasteurisation and live outside its host for up to a month. It is highly contagious. The virus responsible for the present outbreak is the highly virulent pan-Asiatic O type.
What Are The Symptoms?
Mouth or feet blisters with other variable symptoms. Cattle may suffer from fever and dullness and be off their feed, with shivering, a reduced milk yield and sore teats in milking cows. They may also slaver and have tender feet and lameness.
Sheep and goats may also suffer from fever and lameness. They may have a stiff-legged walk, be off colour and have a tendency to lie down. Pigs can experience fever, lameness and dullness and be off their feed.
How Is It Spread?
By direct or indirect contact with infected animals. These animals begin excreting the virus a few days before they develop symptoms. Pigs, in particular, produce large numbers of virus vesicles.
The virus can be carried on the wind for more than 100km. The disease is also spread by movement of animals, persons and vehicles which have been contaminated by the virus. Meat from the carcasses of infected animals can transmit the virus.
Which Other Countries Recently Had Foot-And-Mouth Disease?
It is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. The last major outbreak in an EU country was in Greece.
Can Foot-And-Mouth Be Cured?
There is no cure. It usually runs its course in two or three weeks, after which most animals recover. The justification for slaughter is that widespread disease throughout the country would be economically disastrous.
Is There A Vaccine?
There is a vaccine available which confers short-term immunity, but it would not be economically viable to vaccinate on an ongoing basis.
How Can We Help In Preventing The Spread Of The Disease?
The Department of Agriculture has asked the public not to travel to Northern Ireland or Britain, not to visit the countryside and not to bring in meat or dairy products from the UK. If this is unavoidable, then people are asked to make sure their vehicles and footwear are disinfected before entering this State. Contact a Department of Agriculture official or a customs officer immediately on arrival at any port or airport or at the nearest District Veterinary Office.
What's Safe To Eat Or Drink?
Foot-and-mouth disease cannot be contracted through eating contaminated meat or meat products or drinking contaminated milk or dairy products. However, some products were removed from supermarket shelves. These include cured pigmeat products and uncooked pork sausages produced in the UK. All UK milk products manufactured since February 1st, 2001, from milk that was not pasteurised were also removed. Cooked meat products were left on the shelves.
The reason for removing the products was that the virus might be transmitted to other animals. For instance, if a farmer went into a supermarket, bought an infected product and brought the virus home to the farm he or she could then infect cattle, sheep, pigs or goats.
Until further notice a ban has been placed on the importation from the UK (including Northern Ireland) of fresh meat, meat products, milk and milk products. Certain exceptions apply provided the products are accompanied by a special certificate issued by a UK veterinarian.
Want To Know More?
There's a vast amount of information and advice now available. Websites have been set up for those with Internet connectivity, and there are also helplines which consumers can call for individual advice.
www.ireland.com for list of helplines.
Answers to the Q & A were compiled from information provided by Veterinary Ireland and the UK Ministry of Agriculture's website.
