Microbiology Blog: The weblog for microbiologists.

A new case of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed today (September 12, 2007) in Surrey, UK. The last outbreak occurred in August 2007. A 10km control zone centred on the affected farm near Egham, Surrey has been put in place and cattle from the herd are being culled. A national movement ban is in effect to prevent spread of the disease. A report on the August outbreak blamed a leaking pipe at a research laboratory in Pirbright, about 10 miles away from the current outbreak. Foot-and-mouth disease is caused by the virus (FMDV) which is the prototypic member of the Aphthovirus genus in the Picornaviridae family.

Animal Viruses: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus