A few days ago, I was reading an article from a fellow writer on the 
Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, the animals affected are pigs, sheep, cattle, and several other wildlife species. The effect of FMD could bring about significant economic losses when it enters into regions that are usually free of diseases. In countries where the disease is endemic due to a reduced level of animal productivity and the restriction it has on international trade in animal products, the disease also tends to create a long-term effect.
The earliest description of the disease dates back to 1514 when it was mistaken for the Italian Monk, the animal that was affected refused to eat, its oral mucosa showed redness, and the animal also had vesicles in the oral cavity and on their feet too. In most cases, the animal affected would recover eventually. This early description which dates back to 500 years ago, gives a strong resemblance with what was seen currently. FMD is still considered one of the most important diseases of cloven-hoofed animals, which affects pigs, goats, and sheep, including about 70 other wildlife species.
Recently, an outbreak of the disease was seen in a number of countries, In 1997 in Taiwan and in 2001 in the United Kingdom, this outbreak has greatly increased public awareness. The disease is caused by a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMVD), it belongs to the genus Aphthovirus within the family Picornaviridae. FMDV replicates rapidly and spreads within the affected animal, among the in-contact susceptible animals, and by aerosol. The signs of disease could appear within 2-3 days after exposure and could last for 7-10 days.
In order to protect countries that are free from diseases, the OIE has gained control policy recommendations for countries that have been affected to reacquire FMD-free status, and in the same vein participate in international trade. The stated recommendations favor the more rapid return to FMD-free status, that is if an outbreak is controlled by slaughter and vaccination is not taken advantage of. Therefore, countries that are free from this disease like; the United Kingdom, the United States, and other Western European countries have been able to develop strategies like the inhibition of animal movement, and the slaughter of infected and in-contact susceptible animals, but in general does not include vaccination. A recent event however, particularly the 2001 outbreak that happened in the United Kingdom, has given a profound effect on social strategies alongside new recommendations that have evolved and are still evolving.
Although this disease is rare, it is highly infectious and characterized by largemouth blisters, on the teats, as well as between the toes that burst to create painful raw sores and even the loss of the hoove. Affected animals are unable to eat, drink, be milked, or even walk, as they completely lose their milk and meat productivity. Animals who recover may still harbor the infection virus and continue to spread it silently. FMD happens to be the most infectious virus that exists, it has been discovered to be 20 times more infectious even than the Variola major. There are seven different types and 70 subtypes of FMD, so there is no single vaccine that can be used to control the disease.
Even if the disease has been successfully controlled in several parts of the world through constant vaccination of susceptible animals and the slaughtering of infected animals, no country has been considered to be a safe one, since we still remember how severely contagious the infection could be, and the manner with which the infection spreads. In order to determine an effective control of the disease, outbreaks could be detected at an early stage, and infections that are persistent should be recognized in order to prevent future transmittance, this can be achieved with consistent vaccination and highly effective when the available diagnostic tools are specific and sensitive, at the same time rapid.
About the 15 different FMD vaccines that have been manufactured all through the world would require the production and the use of a whole live virus, but the federal law does not permit research or manufacture with the use of the FMD virus in any part of the US mainland due to the risks of contagion. However, recently, a new molecular FMD vaccine was developed and was granted a conditional license for use in cattle by the USDA, this vaccine is permissible to be manufactured in the US mainland as it does not make use of live FMD virus.
Conclusion.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMDV) is a very important veterinary pathogen that could cause widespread epidemics. Several works have been conducted in order to help develop and validate diagnostic tests as regards FMD. The conventional techniques that can help to detect FMDV infection are either not specific or lack an optimum degree of sensitivity that cannot be overlooked. There remains ongoing research to aid the production of various molecular tools that are promising, to aid with the early detection of the virus and prevent its widespread effect.