What Causes Hoof & Mouth Disease?

Hoof and mouth disease is a virus that affects cloven-hoofed farm animals. It can be devastating economically as infection is typically dealt with by destroying the animals infected. It is spread a variety of ways.

  1. Inhalation

    • The virus can be transmitted via aerosols containing the virus according to Richard Wallace, a professor at the University of Illinois. This is also the most common method of infection. Since the virus is airborne, it can pass quickly from individual to individual.

    Ingestion

    • Another potential cause of hoof and mouth disease is ingestion of infected materials, such as hay, feed or even grass that has come into contact with feces from infected livestock. Since the virus can survive for long periods of time without a host (up to a month), shared water supplies are also a risk.

    Entry Via Mucous Membranes

    • If virus-contaminated discharge from the nose or virus induced blisters enter the eyes, nose or other orifices, the virus can be spread that way as well.

    Other Animals

    • Other animals that are not prone to infection, such as dogs or horses, can pass it on as well by coming into contact with infected animals or materials and spreading it to animals that were previously disease free.

    Humans

    • Humans, while not susceptible to infection, can still carry contaminated materials on their shoes or clothing. This contaminated material can be spread onto farm equipment, feed, etc., and then passed on.