F&MD Threat ‘Absolutely Real'

March 26, 2001

The recent breakout of foot-and-mouth disease in Europe is just the latest example of how the disease spreads among nations, but the threat to Europe "is absolutely real," warns Louise Fresco, Food and Agricultural Organization assistant director-general, Agriculture Department. In the opening address at the 34th Session of the European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Rome, she said the strain that arrived in the United Kingdom is native to India.

Transboundary diseases often originate in the Middle East and Asia, Fresco said. "Careful precautions need to be taken in these regions in the interest of local economies and also in the interest of Europe," she added. In 1999, foot-and-mouth disease caused extensive cattle losses in Iraq, Fresco said. FAO responded to the Iraqi government's request for assistance and implemented an active animal health program in the country.

"Turkey and Iran play an essential role in the fight against cross-border diseases in the Middle East, because viruses frequently pass through these two countries and then threaten Europe," Fresco noted. She added, "The foot-and-mouth disease situation in Turkey continues to be worrisome in spite of FAO's assistance through a regional technical cooperation program to fight the disease. Iran is also participating in the regional program."

Globally, the foot-and-mouth disease situation deteriorated in 2000 with the appearance of cases in Japan, the Republic of Korea, South Africa and in some countries in South America, which were free of the disease until very recently.

On Feb. 17, 1998, FAO warned that Europe might face further devastating animal disease epidemics due to long-distance transport of animals and increasingly dense livestock units. Again, on April 6, 1999, the organization cautioned that foot-and-mouth disease could spread to Europe if tough prevention measures were not put into place in countries where outbreaks had occurred.

Foot-and-mouth disease is highly infectious, striking cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Diseased animals suffer from open sores on the mouth and feet. The disease can cause severe economic losses and prevents the exportation of live animals, meat and dairy products.