What is Foot-and-mouth disease?
'''Foot-and-mouth disease''' (FMD) is one of the acute [[infectious disease]]s (highly contagious disease) of animals. Foot-and-mouth disease [[virus]] causes the disease which can infect domestic animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and deer. Generally, it is believed that FMD is not very [[contagious]] to humans. However, humans can spread FMD by carrying the virus on their clothes and body. FMD breaks out all over the globe, because it is highly contagious to many animals. The earliest description of FMD was that by Hieronymi Fracastorii (1546). He described the disease, as being unusual and affecting only cattle, when it occurred in northern [[Italy]] in 1514.<ref>http://www2.asg.wur.nl/UK/products/Vaccines_and.../FMD/FMDHistory/{{Dead link|date=January 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ==Where FMD Occurs== While the disease is widespread around the world, [[North America]], [[Central America]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], [[Japan]], [[Chile]], and many countries in [[Europe]] are considered free of FMD. Various types of FMD virus have been found in [[Africa]], [[South America]], [[Asia]], and some parts of [[Europe]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/fs_foot_mouth_disease07.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-12-09 |archive-date=2008-11-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081112143424/http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/content/printable_version/fs_foot_mouth_disease07.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> ==Symptoms== The most obvious signs of Foot and Mouth Disease are excessive slobbering (letting [[liquid]] fall from their mouth), a lack of appetite and lameness (unable to walk properly because of damage to one or both of their legs). Affected animals may experience a sudden rise in temperature, sores in the mouth or other areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/foot-and-mouth-symptoms|title=Foot-and-mouth symptoms|date=12 September 2007|website=Farmers Weekly}}