Cattle farms in China are reporting outbreaks of foot-and-mouth-disease, and officials say that measures are underway to control its spread.

But, what is foot-and-mouth disease?

The disease is caused by a virus belonging to the picornavirus family and mainly affects cloven-hooved animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and goats. It is highly contagious and may be spread from animal to animal by direct contact (i.e., by ingesting contaminated food) or by inhalation of respiratory droplets.

Bradly Jacobs, chair of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Channel for Revolution Health Group's Medical Advisory Board, says, "Although foot-and-mouth-disease is extremely contagious to livestock, it fortunately poses little risk to humans."

In rare cases, humans may also be infected if open skin wounds come into direct contact with infected animals or by drinking infected milk. But it is not transmitted by eating meat from infected animals.

Since the infection is temporary and mild, it is not considered a public health problem. The British Medical Journal reports that people experience uncomfortable tingling blisters on the hands, feet and mouth, as well as fever and a sore throat. Symptoms usually last a week.

Nations are keeping careful watch of how China handles the latest outbreak because of concern that it might spread to other parts of the world.

"Containment of potentially contagious infections, such as those from the picornavirus family, will become increasingly important as globalization of commerce and travel grows," Jacobs says.

Experts are quick to point out that the economic costs to possible affected regions are tremendous.

Once infected, animals may exhibit symptoms such as shivering, increased salivation, painful blisters on the lips and tongue, fever, malaise and decreased milk production.

Only about 5 percent of adult livestock die from the disease, usually from heart failure. All livestock in the vicinity that have or may have come into contact with diseased animals are destroyed.

Additional measures used to control the spread in affected areas include disinfection of the premises, destruction of cadavers and the restriction of animal movement in and out of the diseased zone.

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This Article is from MyDNA.com

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