 Visiting
Great Britain? Beware of Foot And Mouth Disease!
By Steve Paul Johnson
April 6, 2001
British tourism have launched a campaign to urge Americans to visit Great
Britain, claiming that there is nothing to fear with Foot and Mouth Disease
(FMD). Because humans are immune to FMD, they are claiming that it is
safe to visit. While this is generally true, what they are not telling
us is that Americans can easily bring the virus back to the United States.
If you are thinking about a trip to Great Britain in the near future,
perhaps to spend Easter, or do some genealogy research, maybe even visit
a cemetery or two, think again!
FMD has reached epidemic proportions throughout England. It is an extremely
communicable disease affecting hoofed animals such as cattle, horses,
deer, pigs, sheep and goats. Even though it does not tend to affect humans,
humans are still excellent carriers of the virus. But humans are not entirely
safe. Farmers have reported suffering from mouth blisters and high fevers
after handling infected animals.
FMD causes severe blisters appearing on the mouths and hooves of animals.
While animals eventually recover, it leaves their bodies debilitated after
having used up all their energy to fight off the infection. It also causes
them to lose their appetite, worsening the situation. As a result, livestock
owners are left with low milk productivity and poor quality of beef.
Confirmed cases of FMD have been mostly concentrated in Great Britain,
where the epidemic is said to have started. Originally, it's believed
the virus was carried to Great Britain from India through packages of
smuggled beef. But because of Britain's low standards, and lack of efficient
law enforcement, the virus was allowed to spread across the English countryside,
and into other European markets before authorities caught on. In February
25, 2001, a nationwide epidemic was declared in Great Britain.
The virus spreads extremely fast. Just one infected animal can quickly
infect hundreds of others in just a couple days. Animals need only walk
on infected soil, eat infected grass, drink infected water, or breathe
infected air to catch the bug. Considering the cramped quarters of farms
and barns, it easy to see just how serious the matter is.
Dr. James Davis of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS),
a division of the United States Department of Agriculture, explains how
this virus thrives. "FMD can live outside the body anywhere from hours
to days in most conditions", says Dr. Davis. "In colder temperatures it
can live up to a month or even longer." Dr. Davis went on to explain how
the virus spreads, "They get it by mainly by breathing the air. When you
have hundreds of pigs or sheep living in close quarters, it spreads very
fast. The wind will blow saliva from their mouths into the air and then
deposit it on the grass and hay, and it gets eaten. They can also get
it from drinking out of the same trough."
Dr. Davis explained how people can carry the virus. "The virus can be
carried by the wind, and then it lands on your clothes, or your hair.
You can step into mud or animal dung and carry it on your shoes. Cars
are a big problem because they go through mud and splatter it into the
wind."
Eating infected meat is also a problem, particularly undercooked beef.
Humans can pass the virus through waste, where it comes into contact with
insects, rodents, and birds. Dr. Davis adds, "The virus can live inside
our bodies and then gets passed through breathing or through waste matter."
Once a person leaves an infected area, the body's own defenses will rid
itself of the virus in about five days.
If this still sounds like exaggeration, just ask an American livestock
owner. FMD has become such a serious threat that ranchers have taken proactive
measures to prevent its infiltration. In its March 29, 2001 edition, The
Los Angeles Times reported that California cattle ranches are turing away
visitors and pulling their animals out of livestock shows. Harris Ranch,
the state's largest ranch with over 100,000 head of cattle, routinely
gets two bus loads of tourists each week, but are turning them away. At
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, they're turning away foreigners, particularly
those from Europe. Other ranches and universities have followed suit.
While this might be seen as overreacting, the USDA does not. It has dipatched
APHIS inspectors to airports and other major ports of entry to inspect
all travelers and packages coming into the United States from areas infected
with FMD. They even have dogs on hand to sniff out specific items susceptible
to FMD infection, and will destroy infected property.
If just one animal gets infected with FMD, APHIS inspectors will destroy
a livestock owner's entire herd. The virus spreads so fast and so easily,
that whole herds must be destroyed to prevent it from moving into other
ranches.
Which is exactly what is happening in Great Britain. Entire herds of
livestock are being burned, totally devastating the families and businesses
who depend on them. As a result, townsfolks are forced to seek employment
elsewhere, often leaving town for the bigger cities.
Tourism into the country areas of England have just about come to a stand-still
as officials post red signs warning visitors of the outbreak, and advising
them to stay away. Hotel owners, curio shops, inns, pubs, and tourist
attractions have all been devastated from a lack of tourism.
Should You Travel to Great Britain?
Businesses who rely on tourism will explain that there is nothing to
fear, citing the fact that humans are immune to the virus. But they stop
short of explaining that Americans can easily bring the virus back to
the United States.
British health officials are actually encouraging tourists to stay away
from rural areas, in an effort to prevent people from spreading the virus
any more than it already has.
The USDA has initiated its own efforts to prevent the spread of FMD into
the United States. During your arrival home, you will be asked to complete
a Customs Declaration Form identifying where you came from, and specifically
if you have been at a farm, a zoo, or came into contact with any farm
animals. APHIS is advising persons to answer "yes" if they cannot decide.
In addition, APHIS has prepared a brochure
for all persons arriving into the United States from an FMD infected area.
It recommends that you:
1. Avoid farms, sale barns, stockyards, animal laboratories, packing
houses, zoos, fairs or other animal facilities for 5 days prior to
travel.
2. Before travel to the United States, launder or dry clean all
clothing and outerwear. All dirt and soil should be removed from shoes
by thorough cleaning prior to wiping with cloth dampened with a bleach
solution. (5 teaspoons of household bleach in 1 gallon of water).
Luggage and personal items (including watches, cameras, laptops, CD
players and cell phones), if soiled, should be wiped with a cloth
dampened with a bleach solution.
3. Avoid contact with livestock or wildlife for 5 days after arrival
in the United States.
If your goal was to get out to England in time for Easter, you may want
to give it another thought. While it is safe for humans to vist there,
the real concern is bringing the virus back home. If your plan is to go
out into the countryside, it's best to forget about it until after outbreak
has subsided. If your plan is to remain in the metropolitan areas (provided
that you stay away from zoos and parks), there is little to worry about.
If you have already purchased airplane tickets, you might check with
the airline about cancellations. Northwest Airlines have fielded so many
requests for cancellations from Britain-bound travelers, they have waived
the cancellation fee!
- Steve Paul Johnson
For more information about FMD, visit these websites:
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