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World Distribution FMD
Serotypes
Susceptibility
Molecular Epidemiology
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Serotype A is present in South America, Africa and Asia, and in 1996 caused
outbreaks in Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia,
following the introduction of infected meat products. It is characterised
by local outbreaks which appear self-limiting, even though the strains
of serotype A causing the outbreak may be outside the protection provided
by available vaccine strains. The antigenic diversity of strains of serotype
A is much greater than that seen within the other serotypes.
Four antigenically new strains of serotype A have been identified
during 1996 and 1997 in Iran, Malaysia, Thailand, Eritrea and West Africa.
The new serotype A strain in Iran spread into Turkey during 1997 and threatened
to enter Europe through Turkish Thrace.
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