FAO Urges International Action on FMD

ROME - Mar 14/01 - STAT -- International action is needed to ensure countries are fully prepared to deal with outbreaks of foot and mouth disease (FMD), believes the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

"The rapid spread of a pandemic strain of FMD clearly demonstrates the ability of the FMD virus to infiltrate a wide geographic area and to cause epidemics in countries which have been free from the disease for many years," the FAO said in a statement issued today.

In some parts of the world, the FMD situation has improved substantially over the last two or three decades, FAO said. North and Central America, large parts of southern Latin America, the Caribbean and Pacific nations are free of the disease as were up to recently also large parts of southern Africa and Europe.

"However, FMD remains endemic in many countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and South America. Emergency preparedness, contingency plans and awareness campaigns are of critical importance for the control of FMD. No country can consider itself safe from the risk of the disease, due to increased international trade, tourism, the movement of animals, animal products and foodstuff."

The FMD virus is one of the most virulent viruses, FAO said. It is a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals and characterized by the formation of vesicles (fluid-filled blisters) and erosions in the mouth, nose, teats and feet. Although usually not lethal in adult animals, it can kill young animals (piglets, lambs, kid and calves) and causes serious production losses as well as animal suffering. Countries affected by FMD are prevented from exporting animals and animal products. FMD can very rarely affect humans with mild illness.

There are seven separate virus types that cause FMD. The virus recently discovered in the UK is called serotype O of the pan-Asian strain. It was first identified in northern India in 1990 and spread westwards into Saudi Arabia in 1994 and, subsequently, throughout the Near East and into Europe. In 1993 it was found in Nepal and later in Bangladesh and Bhutan. In late 1999 and 2000 it reached most of Southeast Asia.

The potential for the spread of epidemic diseases over vast distances was demonstrated last September when Pan-Asian type O entered South Africa. It was the first time that this strain of the virus was detected on the African continent.

A particular risk for introduction of the virus is associated with feeding pigs with swill (waste food), FAO said. It is suspected that this is the likely origin of the introduction of the virus in South Africa and also in the UK.

Subscribers can read the full text of the article by Clicking here

The subscriber version of the article is available by Clicking here