FMD is highly contagious. It's morbidity and mortality rate are highest in
young animals. Cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, water buffalo, bison, deer,
antelope, wild pigs, reindeer, llamas, chamois, alpacas, vicunas, giraffes,
elephants, elk, camels, capybaras, moles, voles, rats (sob!), and hedgehogs
are the natural hosts.
It is passed through aerosol transmission. Humans can harbor the virus for
up to 36 hours after exposure. Recovered cattle may maintain the virus for
up to 3 years. The virus is delicate. It can be destroyed by exposure to
direct sunlight
"Man is infected by contact with sick animals or infectious material
through wounds or abrasions on the skin, or by drinking infected milk.
Cases due to the consumption of infected meat or meat products have not
been confirmed. .... On several occasions, sick persons are thought to have
been responsible for outbreaks in animals. Although this possibility
exists, it is not considered epidemiologically important and has not been
proven conclusively." from 'Zoonoses and Communicable Diseases Common to
Man and Animals'; Pan American Health Organization.
The UK has always had FMD. The last outbreak was in 1981. There was no
outbreak of FMD in this county due to that outbreak, at that time.
If you want to worry, here's something to worry about: the carcasses of the
destroyed animals are being burned. As we all know, ashes, etc., float
upward from a fire. I haven't heard anyone address the possibility of the
pathogen becoming wind borne, and traveling on the winds to all parts of
the globe.
Please remember that this is a virus. It's delicate. It can be killed by
exposure to direct sunlight. It needs a definitive host, in order to live
and replicate. It's not going to live long on clothes. There is no record
of any human transmitting the disease to any animal, either by aerosol
transmission or direct contact.
I realize this is a dangerous disease. I just hate to see people thinking
that because there was an outbreak of FMD in the UK, there's going to be
one here. If there was going to be an outbreak of FMD in this country, it
would have happened before now, given the traffic between the UK and other
affected parts of Europe.
I'm done with this. I'm moving on to fiber talk.
wrnk
d2
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