FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE (FMD)

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Picture Courtesy: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/government-plans-fmd-free-zones-in-eight-states-to-enhance-animal-product-exports/article68589464.ece

 

Context:

The Union government plans to develop foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)-free zones in eight states: Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, and Gujarat; to enhance animal product exports and global market presence.

About Foot-and-Mouth Disease

• Foot-and-mouth disease is caused by an aphthovirus, a member of the Picornaviridae family.
• It is a highly infectious viral infection that affects animals with cloven feet, including cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs.
  • • Horses, dogs, and cats are not affected by this virus.
• It leads to chronic ulcers in infected animals' mouths and feet, resulting in decreased milk production, weight loss, and, in some cases, death.
• The disease reduces productivity due to sickness and requires the killing of infected and even uninfected animals for safety reasons. This can lead to significant financial losses for farmers.
• It is rarely transmitted to humans.

How Does FMD Spread?

• Direct Contact: The virus can be transmitted through physical contact with infected animals or contaminated things such as equipment, clothing, or feed.
• Indirect Contact: The virus is found in all excretions and secretions of infected animals, including saliva, urine, and faeces.
• Airborne Transmission: Infected animals release significant amounts of virus into the air with their breath. Other animals may contract the virus by inhaling or ingesting these airborne particles.
• Wildlife: Animals such as deer and wild boar can carry and spread the virus.

Vaccination and Disease Control

• Vaccines are available, but they must be targeted to the specific viral type. There are seven major strains of the virus, and immunisation to one does not protect against others.
• Vaccines provide only short-term protection and may need to be updated frequently due to the virus's capacity to evolve.

 

Steps Taken to address Foot & Mouth Disease (FMD) ●The National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP) was launched in 2019 to address FMD. ●More than 50 crore animals have been vaccinated against Foot & Mouth Disease. ●The vaccination program is fully funded by the Government of India, which procures vaccines and supplies them to States. ●Livestock owners are encouraged to seek vaccination for their animals through outreach efforts. ● The goal is to eradicate Foot & Mouth Disease by 2030.

Source:

The Hindu

Wikipedia

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PIB

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements in the context of the Foot & Mouth Disease: 1. It is caused by an aphthovirus, a member of the Picornaviridae family. 2. It is a highly infectious viral infection that affects animals with cloven feet. 3. It is rarely transmitted to humans. How many of the above statements are incorrect? A) Only one B) Only two C) All three D) None   Answer: D Explanation: Statements 1 and 2 are correct: Foot & Mouth Disease is a highly contagious virus caused by aphthovirus, a genus within the Picornaviridae family, that primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. The virus is highly contagious and can lead to severe economic impacts due to its impact on livestock health and productivity. Statement 3 is correct: Despite being highly contagious among animals, FMD is rarely transmitted to humans and does not pose a direct health threat.