foot and mouth disease

Foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious viral infection in cloven-hoofed animals (cows, sheep, goats, all wild animals and pigs). The causal agent is a small, highly resistant virus in the environment whose extremely rapid multiplication is its distinguishing feature (under 8 hours).

The foot and mouth disease virus spreads directly from animal to animal or through indirect contact (contaminated material, animal products, human movement from an infected area to a virus-free area). The foot and mouth disease agent may also be carried by the wind over very long distances from an infected farm.

Since 2001, France has been declared free from the disease (no outbreaks or vaccination).

Afssa's role

The Laboratory for studies and research on animal disease and zoonoses of Maisons-Alfort is the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for foot and mouth disease. A permanent monitoring system exists in France through epidemiological monitoring networks. When there is an established suspicion, samples are sent to the NRL for diagnosis (confirmation or invalidation). This laboratory has strictly protected specialised equipment for conducting the analyses under the safest conditions possible.

A diagnosis support system for vesicular diseases (which is the case for foot and mouth disease) for veterinary practitioners has been set up by the Laboratory for studies and research on animal disease and zoonoses (epidemiology and virology units).
In the event of a major health crisis, the serological diagnosis of foot and mouth disease is decentralised in five local veterinary laboratories. As a reference laboratory, the NRL trains the staff of these laboratories and organises inter-laboratory tests to ensure the reliability of the results.

Research is also carried out on foot and mouth disease by the NRL (some together with European laboratories) for the purposes of risk prevention and ever improving management of possible health crises.

October 2007