1. FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE

2. Foot and mouth disease is the most contagious disease of animals and has a great potential for causing heavy loss in susceptible cloven-hoofed animals. There are seven serotypes of FMD virus, namely, O, A, C, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3 and Asia 1. Infection with any particular serotype does not confer immunity against another.

3. FMD cannot be reliably differentiated clinically from other vesicular diseases, including swine vesicular disease (SVD), vesicular exanthema of swine (VES), and vesicular stomatitis (VS). Laboratory diagnosis of any suspected FMD case is therefore a matter of urgency.

4. In typical cases there is a vesicular condition of the feet, buccal mucosa and in females, the mammary glands. The clinical signs can vary from mild to severe, and acute fatalities may occur, especially in young animals.

5. The preferred tissue for diagnosis is epithelium from unruptured or freshly ruptured vesicles. Where this is not possible, saliva and blood and/or oesophageal-pharyngeal fluid samples taken by probang cup in ruminants or throat swabs from swine provide an alternative source of virus. Myocardial tissue or blood can be submitted from fatal cases, but vesicles are again preferable if present. It is vital that samples from suspected cases be transported under secure special conditions and according to international regulations. They should only be dispatched to authorized laboratories.

6. The incubation period for FMD shall be 14 days.

7. Resistance to physical and chemical action: Temperature: resistant to low temperature and inactivated by high temperature pH: inactivated by pH below 6.0 or above 10.0 Chemicals: inactivated by sodium hydroxide (2%), sodium carbonate (4%), citric acid (0.2%), acetic acid (2%), sodium hypochlorite (3%), potassium peroxymonosulfate/sodium chloride (1%), and chlorine dioxide. Resistant to iodophores, quaternary ammonium compounds, and phenol, especially in the presence of organic matter. Disinfectants: inactivated by caustic soda, formalin, iodophores and acid. It is resistant to phenol, quaternary ammonium compounds, alcohol and lipid solvents Survival: persists on hay/straw for over 15 weeks, and in dried hides for much longer. Survives well in lymph nodes and bone marrow but destroyed in muscle

8. Hosts: Bovidae, sheep, goats, swine, camelidae, all wild ruminants and suidae. Transmission: Direct or indirect contact (aerosol) Animate vectors (humans, etc.) Inanimate vectors (vehicles, implements) Wind, especially temperate zones (up to 60 km overland and 300 km by sea)

9. Source of virus: incubating and sick animals breath, saliva, faces, milk (early but irregularly), semen, urine meat and by-products in which pH has remained above 6.0 carriers: particularly cattle and buffalo; convalescent animals and exposed vaccinates (virus isolation in oropharynx for up to 3 years or longer). Occurrence: FMD is enzootic in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America (sporadic outbreaks in free areas).

10. Laboratory diagnosis: Identification of the agent: ELISA Complement fixation test Virus isolation RT-PCR Electron microscope examination Serological tests: ELISA Virus neutralization test

11. Samples: 1g of tissue from an unruptured or recently ruptured vesicle. Epithelium samples should be placed in a transport medium which maintains a pH of 7.2-7.4. Samples should be kept at 4 o C. Oesophageal-pharyngeal fluid collected by means of a probang cup (a special device for collecting cells from the walls of the upper part of the oesophageus).

12. Council Directive 2003/85/EC2003/85/EC

13. MEASURES IN CASE OF SUSPICION OF AN OUTBREAK: official investigation: sampling and laboratory testing official surveillance: census of all animals isolation all products of animal origin are recorded epidemiological inquiry

14. movements onto and off the holding of animals or products of animal origin are banned movements of persons are subject to strict rules temporary control zone may be established for up to 72 hours preventive eradication programme may be implemented, including the slaughter of animals suspected of being infected

15. MEASURES IN CASE OF CONFIRMATION OF AN OUTBREAK: all animals of susceptible species on the holding are killed on the spot other animals present may be killed samples and epidemiological inquiry carcasses are processed without delay

16. all products of animal origin present on the holding since the presumed date of introduction of the disease are treated to destroy the virus buildings and vehicles used are cleaned and disinfected under official surveillance Restocking of the holding may begin 21 days after cleaning at the earliest

17. PROTECTION ZONE: a minimum radius of 3 km national and local disease control centres tracing of all susceptible animals and animal products registration of all holdings and establishment: regular veterinary inspections animals of susceptible species must remain on the holding except where they are emergency slaughtered in a slaughterhouse outside the protection zone

18. fairs, markets and shows for ungulates and artificial insemination are prohibited ban of transport of susceptible animals prohibition of the placing on the market of meat and meat products derived from animals of susceptible species milk and milk products, semen, ova and embryos, hides and skins, wool, hair, bristles animal feed, fodder, hay and straw: special treatment and/or strict veterinary control or ban

19. the measures are maintained and complied with until: at least 15 days have elapsed since the killing and disposal of all the animals on the holdings affected by FMD; a survey in all holdings in the protection zone has been concluded with negative results.

20. SURVEILLANCE ZONE: a minimum radius of 10 km tracing of all susceptible animals and animal products census of the holdings and the animals on them, a ban on transporting susceptible animals restrictions on the placing on the market of meat and products of animal origin After the removal of the measures applied in the protection zone, the measures applied in the surveillance zone continue to apply for at least two weeks.

21. REGIONALISATION: restricted zones: control of trade and movements of animals and animal products; tracing and marking of all products in store; specific certification of animals of susceptible species and products derived from such animals and health marking tracing, treatment and storage of fresh meat, raw milk and milk products derived from animals of susceptible species produced after the date of estimated introduction of the FMD virus

22. VACCINATION: trade in vaccinated animals is prohibited vaccinated animals from tested herds may be moved within the Member State a system of traceability ensures that they are excluded from Community trade

23. Emergency vaccination: classification of herds animals: clearly identified and registered and must not be moved specific measures in the vaccination zone to the movements of animals, fresh meat and other animal products, milk and milk products, clinical and serological survey

24. Protective vaccination regionalisation of the vaccination zone second surveillance zone: at least 10 km wide

25. Suppressive vaccination part of an immediate stamping-out strategy applied to ensure minimum spread of the virus during disposal of infected animals carried out only within the protection zone and on clearly identified holdings

26. RECOVERY OF FMD-FREE AND INFECTION-FREE STATUS: If no vaccination has been used: the control and eradication measures laid down for the protection and surveillance zones have been effective and may be lifted and at least three months have elapsed after the last recorded outbreak

27. If vaccination has been used: the control and eradication measures laid down for the protection and surveillance zones have been effective and may be lifted and at least three months have elapsed since the slaughter of the last vaccinated animal and serological surveillance has been carried out; or at least six months have elapsed since the last outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or the completion of emergency vaccination

28. national reference laboratory contingency plan real-time alert exercises antigen and vaccine banks the feeding of catering waste to animals of susceptible species is prohibited