Research and technological developments required for more rapid control and eradication of foot and mouth disease.

Abstract

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is the major disease barrier to international trade in animals and animal products. Countries free of the disease take severe measures to exclude the virus, to avoid the potentially devastating consequences of an outbreak, particularly for the animal export trade. Consequently, FMD-free countries either refuse to trade with sporadically or endemically infected countries, or else apply stringent and often expensive safeguards before agreeing to import animals or animal products. Technological advances can assist countries which are free of FMD to maintain this status. Such advances also aid countries in which the disease is sporadic or endemic, by accelerating the progress of control and eradication programmes. The authors review recent advances in tests for the diagnosis of FMD, in addition to advances in surveillance, vaccinology and information technology, i.e. computing and networking. Furthermore, the authors examine the application of these advances to improve programmes for the control and eradication of FMD, and identify the requirements for further research into the disease.