How is Foot and Mouth Transmitted?

How is it spread?

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious virus and can be spread by movement of infected animals; movement of contaminated vehicles and by contaminated facilities used to hold animals.  It also can infect animals through contaminated hay or feedstuffs and if susceptible animals drink from a common water source.

FMD is also spread by bodily secretions from infected animals, including saliva, semen, urine, vesicular fluid, and milk.  It is spread by direct and indirect contact with infected animals.

While FMD is not considered a threat to human health, people who come in contact with the virus can spread it to animals through clothing, footwear or other equipment/materials.  The virus can harbor in the human nasal passages for as long as 28 hours.  Wind can also spread the virus through the air.

The virus can potentially be spread by wild animals, especially wild ruminants and wild pigs.

If foot-and-mouth disease rarely kills animals, and people can't contract the virus, why is there so much concern?

Foot-and-mouth disease is a very contagious virus, with nearly 100 percent of exposed animals ultimately becoming infected.  If the disease grew to be widespread in any country, the economic impact could be severe as animals do not receive a lasting immunity, and can be constantly re-infected..  The most serious effects would include severe decline in milk from dairy cattle and goats, decline in meat production, possible sterility of animals, chronic lameness and chronic mastitis.

How Long Does the FMD Virus Persist in the Environment?

FMD can persist in dry manure for 14 days, slurry manure for 6 months, and urine for 39 days.  In soil, the virus can persist 28 days in the winter, and 3 days in the summer.

FMD can persist in offal, bone marrow, lymph nodes, blood clots, and other animal products.  It can survive salting and curing, in hides, some dairy products, and survive wool and semen processing.