| Transmission
occurs by: |
| Under natural conditions, the most common
form of transmission is by aerosol, with infectious particles exhaled by an animal in the
acute phase of the disease being carried on the air to the respiratory tract of a
susceptible animal. FMD is found in high concentrations in expired air. It is
also present in large quantities in vesicular fluid, saliva and milk. At the peak of
infection the virus is also present in the blood and tissues of the affected animal. |
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| Pigs especially produce a tremendous
amount of virus in their respiratory tract. The virus can travel several miles in
the air to infect other animals. |
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| Animal contact or
consumption of animal byproducts is a common form of transmission. Contaminated milk
and feed can sustain the virus for long periods of time and transmit the virus to
susceptible animals. |
| Contaminated facilities, such as farms,
slaughter houses and dairies, used to house animals or produce animal feed stuff can
spread the disease. |
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| People coming and going
from and infected farm can carry the disease on their clothes or shoes and can even harbor
FMD in their respiratory tract or throat for 24 hours. Veterinary equipment and farm
equipment, including vehicles, can transmit FMD within a farm or to other farms. Tires and
leaky milk trucks can leave a trail of FMD in their tracks. |
| Animals that roam freely among infected
animals, such as rodents, dogs, cats and birds can act as fomites, carrying FMD from
animal to animal or farm to farm. |
 |
| All cloven hoofed animals can be infected
with the virus. Once infected, they will be exhaling large quantities of virus and
can easily spread the disease throughout their range. |
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| FMD can survive in the environment fairly
well. It can persist in the environment for up to one month under the favorable
conditions of dark, cold and appropriate pH (<9.0 and >6.0). |
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| The disease jumps international borders
via the transport of affected animals, import of contaminated animal byproducts or
contaminated materials and transport on fomites or people that travel across borders. |
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