Tests have been carried out on a slaughterman employed at an abattoir in
Cumbria, northern England, the Department of Health said on Monday.
A department spokesman told CNN: "We can confirm that a slaughterman from
Cumbria is showing symptoms associated with the human form of
foot-and-mouth.
"Tests have been carried out and we hope to know the results in the next
couple of days."
He said that the symptoms were "fairly-mild, flu-like with blistering on the
hands."
The only other confirmed human case of the disease was diagnosed in 1966
during a major outbreak in the UK.
Bobby Brewis, 34, a farm machinery salesman living on a farm in Yetlington,
Northumbria, was reported to have had only "indirect" contact with
livestock.
Brewis developed a mild temperature, a sore throat and blisters on the palms
of his hands. He also developed weals on his tongue.
Laboratory tests showed that he was suffering from foot-and-mouth disease.
Brewis was reported as saying at the time: "It was rather like flu. I just
felt a bit groggy."
A spokeswoman for the Public Health Laboratory Service stressed: "Cases of
foot-and-mouth in humans are extremely rare.
"When you consider how many people have been exposed to the virus during the
exercise to contain and eradicate it, it shows that the virus is not very
good at affecting humans."
She said that when humans did contract foot-and-mouth, it was a very mild
illness, which invariably cleared up within a matter of weeks.
She added: "In terms of humans it's not a big public health issue, which is
judged by the number of cases there have been."
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's office was quick to try to draw a distinction
between the dangers faced by slaughtermen and tourists.
"The position of a slaughterman is different from a tourist. They are
handling animals which are infected. (This case) should not be allowed to
affect tourism," a spokesman for the prime minister said.
---------
AIEEEEE!!!
!_!
Not affect tourism!? Is he nuts..of course it will affect tourism!
-Gel
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