Description
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious and acute viral illness that primarily affects all cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and various wildlife species. It is caused by the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), a member of the Picornaviridae family. The disease is marked by a sudden onset of high fever followed by the development of vesicular eruptions, or blisters, in the mouth, on the feet, and sometimes on the teats. These vesicles rupture, causing painful sores that lead to excessive salivation, difficulty eating, lameness, and a marked decrease in milk production. Although FMD is rarely fatal in adult animals, it can be devastatingly severe and even fatal in young animals due to complications like heart damage, particularly in calves.
