Using the vaccine would seem to be a sensible way to go if there are regular outbreaks of FMD. What are those signs Mikey and Marion mentioned all about. Jean in NS ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim SHARPE" <sharpe@britishlibrary.net> To: <NORTHERN-ENGLAND-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 4:12 PM Subject: Re: [NTH-ENG] Re:F&M This is the leaflet our local vets are giving out > I would imagine that the present policy of slaughtering is equally > economically disastrous. > > Jim Sharpe Manchester U K > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Marion <mm@mmaychell.freeserve.co.uk> > To: <NORTHERN-ENGLAND-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: 02/mm/01 2:54 PM > Subject: [NTH-ENG] Re:F&M This is the leaflet our local vets are giving > out > > > > http://www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/fmd/qa1.htm#6 > > The nature of the disease > > What is it? > > How is it spread? > > Which other countries have recently had FMD? > > Can people contract the disease? > > Which animals are susceptible? > > What are the symptoms? > > What kinds of virus are there? > > How is the virus destroyed? > > What are the effects of FMD? > > Can FMD be cured? > > Q What is it? > > It is a highly infectious viral disease in which fever is followed by > > the development of vesicles or blisters - chiefly in the mouth or on > > the feet. There are 7 main types of virus, which produce similar > > symptoms and which can only be differentiated in the laboratory. > > > > Q How is it spread? > > Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease that can > > spread by direct or indirect contact with infected animals. Infected > > animals begin by excreting the virus a few days before signs of the > > disease develop. Pigs in particular produce large numbers of virus > > particles. > > > > Airborne spread of the disease takes place readily. The prevailing > > meteorological conditions and local topography determine the distance > > that the disease can travel and this may be considerable. For example, > > circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the outbreak on the > > Isle of Wight in 1981 resulted from the airborne spread of the of the > > virus from Brittany in northern France. > > > > The disease is also spread mechanically by the movement of animals, > > persons, vehicles and other things, which have been contaminated by > > the virus. > > > > Meat from the carcase of animals infected with FMD at the time of > > slaughter can transmit the virus. In the past outbreaks of the disease > > have been linked with the importation of infected meat and meat > > products. > > > > Q Which other countries have recently had FMD? > > FMD is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South > > America, with sporadic outbreaks in disease-free areas. Countries > > affected by FMD in the past twelve months include Butan, Brazil, > > Columbia, Egypt, Georgia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Malawi, > > Malaysia, Mongolia, Namibia, Russia, South Africa, Taipei, Tajikstan, > > Uruguay and Zambia. The last major outbreak of the disease in the EU > > was in Greece last year. > > > > Q Can people contract the disease? > > Advice from the Department of Health is that it is very rare. There > > has only been one recorded case of FMD in a human being in Great > > Britain in 1966. The general effects of the disease in that case were > > similar to influenza with some blisters. It is a mild short lived, > > self-limiting disease. The Food Standards Agency has advised that the > > disease has no implications for the human food chain. > > > > There is however a human condition called Hand, Foot and Mouth > > disease, which is unrelated. It will not affect animals. If you are > > concerned you should contact your GP. > > > > Q Which animals are susceptible? > > Cattle, sheep, pigs and goats are susceptible and some wild animal > > such as hedgehogs, coypu, rats, deer and zoo animals including > > elephants. > > > > Q What are the symptoms? > > Vesicles (blisters) in the mouth or on the feet and other symptoms > > which vary somewhat but may be: > > > > CATTLE - Fever, dullness, off feed, shivering, reduced milk yield and > > sore teats in milking stock, slavering, tenderness of feet or > > lameness. > > > > SHEEP AND GOATS - Fever, lameness, stiff legged walk, off colour, > > tendency to lie down. > > > > PIGS - Fever, lameness, dullness, off feed. > > > > Q What kinds of virus are there? > > There are 7 main types: O, A, C, SAT.1, SAT.2, SAT.3, and Asia 1. > > Within each type there are many sub-types, e.g. O1 and A22. The > > average incubation period is 3-8 days but it can be shorter or may > > extend to 14 days or longer. It has been confirmed that the virus > > responsible for the present outbreak is the highly virulent > > pan-Asiatic O type. When animals recover from infection by one type of > > virus they have little or no protection against attacks by any one of > > the others. > > > > Q How is the virus destroyed? > > It can be destroyed by heat, low humidity, or certain disinfectants, > > but it may remain active for a varying time in a suitable medium such > > as the frozen or chilled carcase of an infected animal and on > > contaminated objects. > > > > Q What are the effects of FMD? > > The disease is rarely fatal, except in the case of very young animals, > > which may die without showing any symptoms. > > > > All affected animals lose condition and secondary bacterial infections > > may prolong convalescence. The most serious effects of the disease > > however are seen in dairy cattle. Loss of milk yield, abortion, > > sterility, chronic mastitis, and chronic lameness are commonplace. > > > > Q Can FMD be cured? > > There is no cure. It usually runs its course in 2 or 3 weeks after > > which the great majority of animals recover naturally. The > > justification of the slaughter policy is that widespread disease > > throughout the country would be economically disastrous due to the > > effects already noted above. > > > > > > > > > > ==== NORTHERN-ENGLAND Mailing List ==== > > To unsubscribe from the list in mail mode send a message to > > NORTHERN-ENGLAND-L-request@rootsweb.com > > that contains the word unsubscribe and nothing else. > > If you are in digest mode, then send the command instead to > > NORTHERN-ENGLAND-D-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.231 / Virus Database: 112 - Release Date: 12/02/01 > > > ==== NORTHERN-ENGLAND Mailing List ==== > To unsubscribe from the list in mail mode send a message to > NORTHERN-ENGLAND-L-request@rootsweb.com > that contains the word unsubscribe and nothing else. > If you are in digest mode, then send the command instead to > NORTHERN-ENGLAND-D-request@rootsweb.com > --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. 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