FMD: What It Is, How It Affects Health, and What You Need to Know

When people talk about FMD, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, a severe viral infection that spreads rapidly among cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. Also known as foot-and-mouth disease, it doesn’t infect humans but can crash entire farming industries in weeks. This isn’t just about sick animals—it’s about food prices, export bans, and the livelihoods of farmers who depend on healthy herds.

FMD is one of the most contagious animal diseases on the planet. A single infected cow can spread the virus through breath, saliva, milk, or even dust on boots and trucks. Outbreaks in places like the UK in 2001 or South America in recent years led to millions of animals being culled, not because they were all sick, but to stop the spread. The virus survives for weeks on surfaces, in feed, and even in the air over long distances. It doesn’t kill most adult animals, but it leaves them weak, unable to eat, and useless for milk or meat production. For farmers, that’s a total loss.

What makes FMD so dangerous isn’t just how fast it spreads—it’s how governments respond. Countries with no FMD can lose access to global markets overnight if an outbreak happens nearby. That’s why border controls, quarantine zones, and vaccination programs are taken so seriously. Even a single case reported in a country that’s normally FMD-free can trigger massive economic fallout. The World Organisation for Animal Health tracks outbreaks globally, and trade restrictions can last months or years.

There’s no cure for FMD. Once it’s in a herd, the only reliable tools are isolation, culling, and vaccination. Vaccines exist, but they don’t always prevent infection—they just reduce symptoms and slow spread. And here’s the catch: vaccinated animals can still carry and spread the virus without showing signs. That’s why some countries refuse to import meat from vaccinated herds, even if they’re healthy. It’s a complex balancing act between protecting public health, food security, and international trade.

While FMD doesn’t affect people directly, its ripple effects touch everyone. Grocery bills go up. Local butchers lose business. Rural communities suffer. And when outbreaks happen, the pressure to act fast often leads to decisions that feel harsh—even if they’re necessary. The posts below dig into how this disease shows up in real life: from the science behind the virus, to how farmers cope, to the policies that shape global agriculture. You’ll find guides on how outbreaks are detected, what happens after a quarantine is lifted, and why some countries still fight to stay FMD-free decades after the last case.