What is foot-and-mouth disease?
A. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that does not affect humans but has devastating affects on animals with cloven hooves such as cattle, swine, sheep, goats and deer. The U.S. has not had a case of foot-and-mouth disease since 1929, and that occurrence was contained and eradicated quickly. There are seven types of the FMD virus, all of which have similar symptoms. Immunity to one type does not protect animals from other types. The average incubation period for FMD is between three and eight days, but it can be up to two weeks in some cases. The disease is rarely fatal, but may kill very young animals. Those that survive are often debilitated and experience severe loss in milk or meat production. FMD is does not affect humans, although people can carry the virus on clothing and other surfaces if they come in contact with the virus.
