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What is FMD? |
Introduction |
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Introduction |
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Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a devastating disease of livestock. All species of cloven-hoofed animals are susceptible and the disease is extremely contagious. Financial losses as a result of FMD can be significant. There are direct losses due to deaths in young animals, loss of milk, loss of meat and a decrease in productive performance. The costs associated with eradication or control can be high and, in addition, there are indirect losses due to the imposition of trade restrictions. For this reason countries which are free from FMD go to great lengths to maintain their disease-free status and many countries which have the disease invest large sums in eradication campaigns. A key element in the control of FMD is knowledge of the epidemiology of the disease and how best to control it. This module gives an overview of the agent responsible, the disease itself and methods of control. Other modules in this series go into greater detail on each of these elements to provide a comprehensive information system on FMD. |
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