severe disease on cow

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)

Foot-and-mouth disease or hoof-and-mouth disease (Aphtae epizooticae) is an infectious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild bovids. The virus causes a high fever for two or three days, followed by blisters inside the mouth and on the feet that may rupture and cause lameness.

Foot-and-mouth disease is highly infectious and spreading by infected animals through:-

• ·         Aerosols

• ·         Contact with contaminated farming equipments, vehicles, clothing or food

• ·         Domestic and wild predators

Its containment demands considerable efforts in vaccination, strict monitoring, trade restriction and quarantines, occasionally elimination of millions of animals.

Susceptible animal:-

• ·         Cattle
• ·         Water buffalo
• ·         Sheep
• ·         Goats
• ·         Pigs
• ·         Antelope
• ·         Deer
• ·         Bison

The virus responsible for the disease is a picornavirus, the prototypic member of the genus Aphthovirus. Infection occurs when the virus particle is taken into a cell of the host. The cell is then forced to manufacture thousands of copies of the virus, and eventually bursts, releasing the new particles in the blood. The virus is highly variable, which limits the effectiveness of vaccination.

                                         figure 1: Aphtae epizooticae virus under electronic microscope