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| Sow head showing large blister (arrowed) on top of snout. This blister doubled in size within two to three hours Photo: Craig Kirby, OVS/DEFRA |
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| Foot. The finger is pointing to a white band where the hoof meets the foot. This is all one large blister (vesicle) Photo: Craig Kirby, OVS/DEFRA |
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| FMD world situation, Type C, 2004-2006 Graphic: DEFRA |
The IAH is holding a one-day symposium on tracking the emergence and global spread of FMD, featuring speakers from Belgium, Germany, Italy, South Africa, and Spain in addition to the universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh and Oxford, and IAH. The event, scheduled for Friday May 9th, takes place at the prestigious Royal Society in London.
The significance of the disease has been exacerbated by the globalisation of trade, the rapid growth and intensification of livestock keeping (especially in countries where FMD is chronic), and the threat of bioterrorist attacks, says the Institute.
"IAH Pirbright's contribution to the control of FMD in some developing countries where the disease is continually present, is part philanthropy, part enlightened self-interest on the part of the UK," adds Dr David Paton, head of the FMD Reference Laboratory. "Diminishing FMD overseas reduces the chances of it being imported into the UK and neighbouring European countries."
The first scientific talk at the Symposium will be given by Nick Knowles of IAH, who compares the gene sequences of new isolates of the virus with his ever-expanding database of FMD sequences from around the globe. In this way he can track FMD viruses as they spread not only within countries but also across national boundaries, indeed continents.
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