The Risk of Foot and Mouth Disease Transmission Posed by Public Access to the Countryside During an Outbreak

Overview

Journal Front Vet Sci

Specialty Veterinary Medicine

Date 2019 Nov 22

PMID 31750321

Citations 11

Authors

Harriet Auty

Dominic Mellor

George Gunn

Lisa A Boden

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

During the 2001 UK FMD outbreak, local authorities restricted rural access to try to prevent further disease spread by people and animals, which had major socio-economic consequences for rural communities. This study describes the results of qualitative veterinary risk assessments to assess the likelihood of different recreational activities causing new outbreaks of foot and mouth disease, as part of contingency planning for future outbreaks. For most activities, the likelihood of causing new outbreaks of foot and mouth disease is considered to vary from very low to medium depending on the control zone (which is based on distance to the nearest infected premises), assuming compliance with specified mitigation strategies. The likelihood of new outbreaks associated with hunting, shooting, stalking, and equestrian activities is considered to be greater. There are areas of significant uncertainty associated with data paucity, particularly regarding the likelihood of transmission via fomites. This study provides scientific evidence to underpin refinement of rural access management plans and inform decision-making in future disease outbreaks.

Citing Articles

Risk Assessment and Prevention of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Transmission from Laos to China.

Xin J, Lan S, Ai J, Zeng B, Xin A, Ye L Vet Sci. 2025; 12(2).

PMID: 40005852 PMC: 11860775. DOI: 10.3390/vetsci12020092.

Spatio-temporal distribution of foot and mouth disease outbreaks in Western Amhara region from January 2018 to June 2023.

Demil E, Tadesse B PLoS One. 2025; 20(2):e0313305.

PMID: 39932936 PMC: 11813087. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313305.

Phylodynamic analysis of foot-and-mouth disease virus evolution in Mar Chiquita, Argentina.

Calderon L, Cabanne G, Marcos A, Novo S, Torres C, Perez A Arch Virol. 2024; 169(5):101.

PMID: 38630189 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-024-06028-0.

A review of foot-and-mouth disease in Ethiopia: epidemiological aspects, economic implications, and control strategies.

Zewdie G, Akalu M, Tolossa W, Belay H, Deresse G, Zekarias M Virol J. 2023; 20(1):299.

PMID: 38102688 PMC: 10724896. DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02263-0.

The Biosafety Research Road Map: The Search for Evidence to Support Practices in the Laboratory-Foot and Mouth Disease Virus.

Blacksell S, Dhawan S, Kusumoto M, Le K, Summermatter K, OKeefe J Appl Biosaf. 2023; 28(4):199-215.

PMID: 38090355 PMC: 10712356. DOI: 10.1089/apb.2022.0041.

References

Amass S, Pacheco J, Mason P, Schneider J, Alvarez R, Clark L . Procedures for preventing the transmission of foot-and-mouth disease virus to pigs and sheep by personnel in contact with infected pigs. Vet Rec. 2003; 153(5):137-40. DOI: 10.1136/vr.153.5.137. View

Quan M, Murphy C, Zhang Z, Durand S, Esteves I, Doel C . Influence of exposure intensity on the efficiency and speed of transmission of Foot-and-mouth disease. J Comp Pathol. 2009; 140(4):225-37. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2008.12.002. View

Orsel K, Bouma A, Dekker A, Stegeman J, de Jong M . Foot and mouth disease virus transmission during the incubation period of the disease in piglets, lambs, calves, and dairy cows. Prev Vet Med. 2008; 88(2):158-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2008.09.001. View

Charleston B, Bankowski B, Gubbins S, Chase-Topping M, Schley D, Howey R . Relationship between clinical signs and transmission of an infectious disease and the implications for control. Science. 2011; 332(6030):726-9. PMC: 5844461. DOI: 10.1126/science.1199884. View

Kitching R, Hughes G . Clinical variation in foot and mouth disease: sheep and goats. Rev Sci Tech. 2003; 21(3):505-12. DOI: 10.20506/rst.21.3.1342. View

Mouchantat S, Haas B, Lutz W, Pohlmeyer K, Frolich K . Absence of antibodies to foot-and-mouth disease virus in free-ranging roe deer from selected areas of Germany (2001-2002). J Wildl Dis. 2005; 41(3):599-605. DOI: 10.7589/0090-3558-41.3.599. View

Alexandersen S, Donaldson A . Further studies to quantify the dose of natural aerosols of foot-and-mouth disease virus for pigs. Epidemiol Infect. 2002; 128(2):313-23. PMC: 2869825. DOI: 10.1017/s0950268801006501. View

Ward M, Laffan S, Highfield L . The potential role of wild and feral animals as reservoirs of foot-and-mouth disease. Prev Vet Med. 2007; 80(1):9-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2007.01.009. View

Donaldson A, Alexandersen S, Sorensen J, Mikkelsen T . Relative risks of the uncontrollable (airborne) spread of FMD by different species. Vet Rec. 2001; 148(19):602-4. DOI: 10.1136/vr.148.19.602. View

10.

Donaldson A, HERNIMAN K, Parker J, Sellers R . Further investigations on the airborne excretion of foot-and-mouth disease virus. J Hyg (Lond). 1970; 68(4):557-64. PMC: 2130857. DOI: 10.1017/s0022172400042480. View

11.

. Foot-and-mouth disease in the brown rat. J Comp Pathol. 1970; 80(4):543-8. DOI: 10.1016/0021-9975(70)90051-4. View

12.

Wright C, Gloster J, Mazelet L, Paton D, Ryan E . Short-lived carriage of foot-and-mouth disease virus in human nasal cavities after exposure to infected animals. Vet Rec. 2011; 167(24):928-31. DOI: 10.1136/vr.c6275. View

13.

Gibbens J, Sharpe C, Wilesmith J, Mansley L, Michalopoulou E, Ryan J . Descriptive epidemiology of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic in Great Britain: the first five months. Vet Rec. 2002; 149(24):729-43. View

14.

Pacheco J, Tucker M, Hartwig E, Bishop E, Arzt J, Rodriguez L . Direct contact transmission of three different foot-and-mouth disease virus strains in swine demonstrates important strain-specific differences. Vet J. 2012; 193(2):456-63. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.01.012. View

15.

Thomson G, Vosloo W, Bastos A . Foot and mouth disease in wildlife. Virus Res. 2003; 91(1):145-61. DOI: 10.1016/s0168-1702(02)00263-0. View

16.

Botner A, Belsham G . Virus survival in slurry: analysis of the stability of foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, bovine viral diarrhoea and swine influenza viruses. Vet Microbiol. 2012; 157(1-2):41-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.12.010. View

17.

Gloster J, Doel C, Gubbins S, Paton D . Foot-and-mouth disease: measurements of aerosol emission from pigs as a function of virus strain and initial dose. Vet J. 2007; 177(3):374-80. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2007.06.014. View

18.

Krug P, Davis T, OBrien C, LaRocco M, Rodriguez L . Disinfection of transboundary animal disease viruses on surfaces used in pork packing plants. Vet Microbiol. 2018; 219:219-225. DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2018.04.029. View

19.

Alexandersen S, Zhang Z, Donaldson A, Garland A . The pathogenesis and diagnosis of foot-and-mouth disease. J Comp Pathol. 2003; 129(1):1-36. DOI: 10.1016/s0021-9975(03)00041-0. View

20.

de Rueda C, de Jong M, Eble P, Dekker A . Quantification of transmission of foot-and-mouth disease virus caused by an environment contaminated with secretions and excretions from infected calves. Vet Res. 2015; 46:43. PMC: 4404111. DOI: 10.1186/s13567-015-0156-5. View