Dorothy FarrarFoot and Mouth Disease (FMD)
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that can occur in even -toed ungulates (eg cattle, pigs, goats, sheep). The incubation period is between 2 and 14 days. The course of the disease in animals is rapidly progressive and often fatal. Although the virus can also be transmitted to humans, it is usually completely harmless. Humans act primarily as carriers of the FMD virus.
What is foot and mouth disease?
The disease is caused by the foot-and-mouth disease virus. The so-called aphthovirus belongs to the Picornaviridae family, the smallest RNA viruses identified to date. The virus preferentially affects mucous membranes and hairless skin. Skeletal and cardiac muscles can also be affected.
FMD shows symptoms similar to hand, foot and mouth disease , but should not be confused with it. The infection, which occurs in animals with high fever and blistering, is widespread worldwide. FMD is a notifiable disease in animals.
causes
The foot-and-mouth disease virus is transmitted from animal to animal and in rare cases from animal to human by contact and smear infection as well as by droplet infection . Humans are only infected in isolated cases and only through very close contact with infected animals. The virus can survive for months in the soil, in stables, in hay and straw or in waste.
It is possible for the virus to be spread via people, vehicles and feedstuffs to which the virus is attached. The virus also spreads through the air with the wind. Carrier animals such as rats also allow the disease to spread.
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of foot and mouth disease (FMD):
The symptoms and course of the disease differ between different animal species. The incubation period is between 2 and 18 days, depending on the animal. Characteristic of an infection with the FMD virus in animals are high fever at the beginning of the disease and the formation of fluid-filled blisters, the aphthae . The general condition can be severely disturbed and the animals are usually in severe pain. The aphthous ulcers burst open after some time and sometimes form large-scale skin erosions.
In cattle, the aphthous formation occurs on the mucous membrane of the mouth and on the tongue. In addition, further aphthous ulcers can occur on the claws and udder. Dairy cows give less or no milk. In pigs, the course of infection is less severe and the aphthous ulcers form mainly on the hooves. This can lead to a changed gait pattern and if the pain is severe, the animals only move by sliding across the floor.
In sheep and goats, signs of FMD infection are less obvious. The animals are often severely lame. After the aphthous ulcers have burst, the healing process begins. Depending on the severity of the course, adult animals recover from the infection after some time. In other cases, the disease can be fatal. This is particularly the case with young animals. Calves often die from damage to the heart muscle caused by the FMD virus .
In humans, who are only very rarely affected by an infection with the foot-and-mouth disease virus, there are usually no or only mild symptoms. Fever may occur. Nausea and fatigue or headaches and body aches can be other symptoms. If aphthae develop in humans, they appear on the oral mucosa, on the fingertips, on the feet or in the genital area. The skin erosions heal after about ten days.
Diagnose
If there is a suspicion that animals in a herd are infected with the FMD virus, this must be reported immediately. An official determination is made as to whether the suspicion is confirmed. For this purpose, the pathogen is detected in the laboratory by examining the bladder fluid for virus antigen or viral RNA. In animals that are not vaccinated , a serological antibody detection can provide information about a possible infection. In humans, detection of antibodies in the blood or detection of the virus in the bladder fluid can also determine whether an infection with foot-and-mouth disease is present.
Treatment and therapy
There is no effective therapy for FMD. Infected animals should be killed to prevent spread of the virus. Affected companies are subject to quarantine until the suspicion of FMD infection is confirmed. A restricted area will be created around this facility. In this area, veterinarians examine all existing animal stocks for an infection. Animal transports from the restricted area are not permitted. Because rats and mice can transmit foot and mouth disease, rodent control occurs.
In addition, thorough cleaning of affected establishments is required to prevent reinfection. Heat with temperatures in excess of 56° Celsius or disinfection with citric or formic acid kills viruses that contaminate stables or pens. Since the infection is harmless to humans and occurs without symptoms in most cases, no special therapy is required in humans.
prevention
Vaccinations of livestock took place until 1991. When the European Union was considered FMD-free, the vaccination program was discontinued. Since the virus is constantly changing, the vaccine would also have had to be continuously adapted in order not to lose its effectiveness. In addition, it is more difficult to detect a foot-and-mouth disease infection as antibodies against the virus can be detected in both vaccinated and infected animals. Preventive vaccination may only be carried out to protect the herds in livestock that are in the vicinity of a farm with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.