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Foot and Mouth Disease
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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- 1. What is foot and mouth disease?
- 2. What animals are affected by foot and mouth disease?
- 3. Is foot and mouth disease a risk to human health?
- 4. Where is foot and mouth disease present in the world?
- 5. How can an animal become infected with foot and mouth disease virus?
- 6. How would I know if my animal has foot and mouth disease?
- 7. What should I do if I suspect my animal has foot and mouth disease?
- 8. How could foot and mouth disease enter Ireland?
- 9. How can we keep Ireland free from foot and mouth disease?
- 10. What should I do if I am travelling to Ireland after being in an FMD affected area?
- 11. What would happen if an outbreak of foot and mouth disease were to occur in Ireland?
- 12. Foot and mouth disease updates
- 13. Sources of further information on foot and mouth disease
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is one of the most contagious diseases of livestock. It is caused by the foot and mouth disease virus (FMD virus). An outbreak of FMD would have a serious negative impact on the livestock sector and the national economy. FMD is a notifiable disease, which means that any suspected cases of FMD must be reported to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine without delay.
FMDV affects several species of animals including cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed animals (that is, animals with a divided hoof).
FMD is not a risk to human health or food safety. FMD has been documented on rare occasions in humans. It has generally occurred in people working in close contact with the virus (for example, laboratory staff or those involved in vaccine manufacture) and resulted in mild symptoms. FMD is not related to hand-foot-and-mouth disease in humans. Meat and dairy products contaminated with FMD virus are safe for human consumption.
FMD is endemic in several parts of Asia and in most of Africa and the Middle East. In Latin America, the majority of countries apply zoning and are recognised as FMD-free, either with or without vaccination.
Australia, New Zealand, Central and North America, and continental Western Europe are currently free of FMD. However, FMD is a transboundary animal disease that can occur sporadically in any typically free area.
The official FMD status of WOAH Members can be found here . It should be noted that many countries in Africa and Asia, where FMD is widespread, do not have an official FMD status.
FMD virus is found in all excretions and secretions from infected animals. Infected animals shed the virus in blister fluid, saliva, milk, expired air, urine and faeces. Animals can shed the virus before clinical signs appear. The disease is transmitted to other animals by three main routes:
1. Direct contact between an infected animal and a susceptible animal, for example: animals touching nose to nose across a fence.
2. Indirect contact between animals, for example: a contaminated person or vehicle moving between farms, the sharing of equipment between farms, or the feeding of contaminated animal products to animals.
3. Airborne spread. Infected animals, particularly pigs, can exhale significant amount of virus in their breath; animals on other farms downwind may become infected by this route.
FMD virus causes fluid-filled blisters to develop on the tongue, dental pad, nose and feet of affected animals. These can be very painful, and affected animals become lame, go off their food and salivate excessively. Animals develop a fever just before the blisters appear. Eventually the fluid-filled blisters burst leaving an open sore. The disease is severe in pigs and cattle but can be difficult to spot in sheep.
Infected animals have a reduced milk yield, while young animals, particularly piglets and lambs, may die without showing obvious signs. Pregnant sheep may abort. Most adult animals will recover from FMD after 10-14 days. Dairy cattle may never return to their previous milk yield.
FMD in cattle:
- fever
- loss of appetite
- excessive salivation and lip smacking
- lameness
- reduced milk yield
- blisters in the mouth, between toes and at heels
FMD in sheep:
- fever
- lameness
- abortions and deaths in young lambs
- blisters in the mouth and on the feet; these can be difficult to spot
FMD in pigs:
- fever
- loss of appetite
- severe lameness
- pigs may huddle together
- blisters on the snout, in the mouth and on the feet, especially where the horn joins the skin; these may rupture and the horn may completely detach
If you suspect FMD in one of your animals you must report it immediately to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
Contact your local Regional Veterinary Office (RVO) or the National Disease Emergency Hotline on 01 492 8026 (outside of office hours) to report a suspect case.
If you are reporting a suspicion of disease, do not allow people, animals, vehicles, carcases or anything else associated with animals off the farm until further advice is given to you by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
FMD could be introduced to Ireland through a number of routes:
- illegal imports of contaminated food products, for example: meat and dairy products
- import of infected animals
- contaminated materials, for example: vehicle, equipment, clothing, footwear
- airborne: The virus can be spread up to 60 km overland and 300 km over water
Strict rules are in place to prevent the entry of FMD into Ireland. As FMD is not present in the EU, a third country is the most likely source through the following routes:
Animal products:
- animal products (for example, meat and dairy) from third countries must comply with stringent import control requirements and undergo inspection in a designated Border Control Post supervised by DAFM
- it is illegal to bring meat and dairy products into the EU as personal consignments, for example: in personal luggage or through postal services. Further information on personal consignments
- the feeding of food waste to livestock that contains meat or has been in contact with meat is illegal
Other contaminated material:
- people who have had contact with livestock in FMD affected countries should avoid contact with livestock upon their return to Ireland until all hygienic precautions have been taken, for example: showering, washing clothes at a high temperature wash cycle and cleaning and disinfecting footwear
- air passengers returning to Ireland from FMD affected countries who have had been on livestock farms should attend the DAFM office in the airport
Live animals:
- susceptible species of live animals entering Ireland from third countries must comply with stringent import control requirements and undergo inspection in a designated Border Control Post supervised by DAFM
If you have been in a country where FMD is present, it is important that the following guidelines are followed:
Prior to arrival in Ireland:
• Avoid visiting livestock farms or other places where livestock or wildlife are kept
• Shower or bathe prior to travel paying particular attention to fingernails and hair
• Any clothing used while visiting livestock farms, wildlife areas or zoos should be washed with detergent at 60◦C minimum or professionally dry-cleaned
• Clean any jewellery, watches, phones, iPads etc. with a disinfectant wipe if they were brought onto farms
• Thoroughly clean all footwear before arriving in Ireland
• Remember: it is illegal to bring back meat or dairy products into the EU.
Upon arrival in Ireland
• If arriving into Dublin or Shannon Airport, you should visit the DAFM office prior to leaving baggage reclaim. If the office is closed, or you are entering Ireland through a different location, you should contact your nearest Regional Veterinary Office during normal office hours for advice
• If you have been on livestock farms, wildlife areas or zoos in FMD affected countries, avoid all contact with livestock or wildlife for at least 14 days following arrival in Ireland – no exceptions!
• Ensure that clothes brought with you on your trip have been thoroughly washed with detergent at 60◦C minimum or professionally dry cleaned before wearing them in Ireland. Footwear should be cleaned and disinfected using a product proven to be effective against FMD virus as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
It is recommended that DAFM is pre-notified of the intended arrival into Ireland of travellers who have been in contact with livestock or susceptible wildlife in FMD affected areas. Details on how to pre-notify DAFM can be found below. If entering through:
• Dublin Airport: Contact the DAFM duty officer by calling + 353 (0) 87 417 8986. If you need to contact a DAFM officer on arrival in Dublin Airport, you may do so by pressing the button marked Duty Supervisor on the courtesy telephone outside the Department of Agriculture offices in the baggage reclaim hall, opposite:
o Carousel No. 6 in Terminal 1, or
o Carousel No. 2 in Terminal 2.
• Shannon Airport: Contact the Portal Inspector on duty by calling on +353 61 500 940 or by emailling PetsShannon@agriculture.gov.ie
• Other entry points to Ireland: Contact the local Regional Veterinary Office. Contact details can be found here: Contact the Department
Advice for travellers entering Ireland from an area affected by Foot and Mouth Disease
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In the event of an outbreak of FMD in Ireland, control measures are introduced to eradicate the disease. Restriction zones, known as protection (3 km) and surveillance zones (10 km), are established around the location of an outbreak. Monitoring and sampling of animals on farms within these zones is carried out as well as restrictions on any activities that may spread the disease to other animals or farms. Nationwide restrictions and additional control measures may be introduced depending on the disease situation, for example: additional biosecurity measures on farms and controls on the movements of animals and animal products. Susceptible animals on the affected farm and other farms with a high risk of infection are culled.