Source: European Parliament
It has been 14 years since the last outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in a European Union (EU) country. However, three water buffaloes have recently tested positive for the disease in Germany. While FMD poses no risk to human health, it is a highly contagious viral disease that can affect various cloven-hoofed animals. The speed with which the disease spreads makes it essential to cull all animals hosted on the affected farm once an outbreak is detected, and to apply strict biosecurity measures. This results in significant economic losses. As a result of the 2001 outbreak in the United Kingdom (UK), over 6 million animals were culled in one year, costing more than £3 billion (more than €6.5 billion at current prices) in public expenditure and having a huge impact on the tourism sector. The EU has legislation in place outlining rules for the prevention and control of animal diseases such as FMD, including a notification system integrated into the World Animal Health Information System to facilitate a coordinated approach. The European Commission also cooperates with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to fight the spread of the disease. Since 1990, the use of preventive vaccines against FMD has been prohibited in the EU, except for in certain cases and in emergencies. Although conventional FMD vaccines protect livestock from developing the disease, vaccinated animals may still become infected and carry the disease.