Hungarian authorities have found cases of foot-and-mouth disease at a cattle farm, recording the country’s first outbreak of the highly contagious virus in 50 years.
The disease was discovered on a farm housing 1,400 cattle in the village of Kisbajcs in a northwestern county bordering Slovakia, the Brussels-based news website Euractiv reported.
The virus primarily affects cloven-hoofed livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, spreading rapidly among herds.
Foot-and-mouth re-emerged in Europe earlier this year, with a case reported in a buffalo herd in Germany in January. Prior to that, the last known outbreak on the continent occurred in Bulgaria in 2011. The pathogen is endemic to Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
The European livestock sector had been relieved when the German case was contained, but Hungary’s outbreak has reignited concerns over significant economic repercussions.
The 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis in Great Britain resulted in the culling of over six million animals and had an economic impact worth nearly €6 billion.
In response to the confirmed case in Kisbajcs, Hungary’s chief veterinarian ordered the immediate closure of the affected farm and launched an investigation.
“Extremely strict official measures will be implemented, including a ban on the transport of susceptible live animal species,” a press release from the Hungarian National Food Chain Safety Office said.
The foot-and-mouth virus can spread through direct contact with the infected animal’s saliva, mucus, milk or feces. There is also a risk from airborne transmission and contact with contaminated surfaces, but the disease is not considered a threat to human health.
The virus primarily affects cloven-hoofed livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, spreading rapidly among herds.
Foot-and-mouth re-emerged in Europe earlier this year, with a case reported in a buffalo herd in Germany in January. Prior to that, the last known outbreak on the continent occurred in Bulgaria in 2011. The pathogen is endemic to Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
The European livestock sector had been relieved when the German case was contained, but Hungary’s outbreak has reignited concerns over significant economic repercussions.
The 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis in Great Britain resulted in the culling of over six million animals and had an economic impact worth nearly €6 billion.
In response to the confirmed case in Kisbajcs, Hungary’s chief veterinarian ordered the immediate closure of the affected farm and launched an investigation.
“Extremely strict official measures will be implemented, including a ban on the transport of susceptible live animal species,” a press release from the Hungarian National Food Chain Safety Office said.
The foot-and-mouth virus can spread through direct contact with the infected animal’s saliva, mucus, milk or feces. There is also a risk from airborne transmission and contact with contaminated surfaces, but the disease is not considered a threat to human health.
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