The answer to the question of what foot-and-mouth disease is has been known for several centuries - it is a disease transmitted to humans from wild and domestic animals (goats, cows, pigs), accompanied by symptoms in the form of blistering rashes on the mucous membranes of the mouth and nasopharynx. The disease is not transmitted from person to person, but you can become infected after eating meat or dairy products obtained from a sick animal.
Foot and mouth disease - what is it
An infectious disease of a viral nature, called foot-and-mouth disease, manifests itself in the form of vesicular-erosive (vesicular-ulcerative) lesions of the skin (interdigital folds and nail beds), mucous membranes of the mouth, and nasopharynx. The disease is accompanied by acute intoxication of the body. The carriers of the infection are wild artiodactyls and domestic cattle; human infection occurs either by contact (for example, in the process of caring for an animal or processing hides), or by food through contaminated meat or milk.
Pathogen of foot and mouth disease
The carriers of the causative agent of the infectious disease are wild and domestic animals, mainly cattle (goats, sheep, cows), and to a lesser extent - rodents and birds). There is swine foot and mouth disease. The virus is highly resistant to changes in the external environment, surviving on the skin and fur of a carrier for up to 4 weeks, and about a month on clothing. Infection occurs when pathogens enter damaged skin or mucous membranes of the nasopharynx, after direct contact with a sick animal or consumption of meat from sick cows or pigs.
Symptoms
The foot-and-mouth disease virus manifests itself in humans several days after infection. The incubation period averages four to twelve days. The disease begins with the manifestation of febrile symptoms in the form of chills, increased body temperature, headache, and a feeling of aching in the limbs. In children, fever is accompanied by a reaction from digestive system– abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting. Other characteristic symptoms of foot and mouth disease are:
- burning in the mouth;
- burning when urinating;
- stomatitis;
- increase in the size of the tongue, lymph nodes;
- the appearance of vesicles (bubbles filled with liquid) on the mucous membranes of the mouth (see photo);
- aphthous rash on the tip of the tongue;
- erosions on the skin around the mouth, swelling of the lips (see photo);
- aphthous rashes of blisters on the mucous membranes of the nose;
- skin lesions in the folds between the fingers and around the nail plates (see photo).
Causes of foot and mouth disease
The foot-and-mouth disease epidemic is local in nature - the risk of spreading the viral infection is higher in rural areas, for enterprise workers agriculture those involved in raising goats, sheep, cows, as well as for employees of farms or meat processing plants. Failure to comply with personal hygiene rules and violation of sanitary standards at agricultural enterprises are the main reasons for the spread of the disease. Children are at risk; the cause of infection in this case is the consumption of milk from a sick animal or meat infected with pork foot-and-mouth disease.
Forms of infection
Foot and mouth disease in humans is differentiated according to the localization of the rash of characteristic aphthae - cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and mucous (aphthous stomatitis) forms of infection are distinguished. According to the degree of severity (presence of high temperature, number of rashes, duration of occurrence), mild, moderate and severe forms of foot and mouth disease are distinguished. According to the nature of the course of the disease, they are distinguished:
- Sharp form.
- Erased form.
- Chronic form.
Diagnostic methods
Foot and mouth disease can be diagnosed using a laboratory study of data from scraping erosions, urine, saliva and other secretions of the patient, however, in mass practice, virological studies are carried out only if an infection is suspected. Mainly used:
- making a diagnosis based on clinical and epidemiological data;
- serological analysis based on the complement fixation reaction (detection of the presence of antibodies in the blood).
Treatment
People with foot-and-mouth disease require hospitalization. Most treatment measures are aimed at alleviating general condition patient, caring for the affected oral cavity, reducing the severity of symptoms. They use an integrated approach to treatment - the main emphasis is on local agents and physiotherapeutic procedures. Symptomatic medications (antipyretics, painkillers), as well as vitamin complexes to increase general and local immunity, prescribed if there are appropriate indications.
Use of medications
Foot and mouth disease in humans can occur with varying degrees of symptom severity. During severe fever, antipyretics and analgesics may be prescribed to relieve pain. To relieve swelling of the mucous membranes, desensitizing agents (gluconate or calcium chloride) and antihistamines are used. Prescription of antiviral drugs is mandatory.
The antiviral drug Acyclovir is prescribed for acute mucocutaneous form. Tablets for oral administration act systemically, suppress the proliferation of viral cells, and reduce the risk of spreading visceral rashes. Dosage varies from 200 to 400 mg (after meals), every 12-16 hours, for 7-12 days. Use is contraindicated during pregnancy and in children under 2 years of age.
The antihistamine Suprastin is prescribed for severe swelling of the tongue and mucous membranes of the mouth and nasopharynx. The average daily dosage is 75-100 mg of the drug until the symptom is relieved. Take the drug during meals. In cases of severe aphthous lesions in the oral cavity, oral administration can be replaced by intravenous injections. The drug is contraindicated for asthma and stomach ulcers.
Local treatment
Local preparations are used for rinsing the oral cavity with severe aphthous stomatitis. These are antiseptic and antibacterial solutions or sprays, for example Miramistin, Rivanol, Orasept. Skin lesions and erosions are treated with special ointments - Oxolinic ointment, Vivorax, Bonafton.
Oxolinic ointment is used to treat viral skin diseases. Its main component is active against foot-and-mouth disease virus pathogens. The product is applied to the affected areas of the skin and mucous membranes 3-5 times a day. Contraindication for use is individual intolerance to the components of the drug and increased sensitivity in the form of a tendency to allergic reactions.
Miramistin spray has an antibacterial effect on the affected oral cavity, has a bactericidal and antiviral effect. For foot and mouth disease, either irrigation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and nasopharynx is carried out (5-7 times a day), or rinsing is carried out (with the same intensity. 15-20 ml of the product are used in one procedure. There are no contraindications for use, cases of individual intolerance are possible.
Nutritional Features
During the acute course of the disease, foot and mouth disease, with severe aphthous stomatitis, a light, gentle diet is prescribed, excluding the intake of hot and solid foods. In severe cases, the patient is fed through a tube. The frequency of feeding the patient should be at least 5-6 times per day, and the patient is recommended to drink plenty of fluids. No seasonings or hot sauces, other components that irritate the oral mucosa.
What is foot and mouth disease? This is an acute viral infection that can be transmitted from a sick animal to humans. How does this happen? What are the signs and symptoms of foot and mouth disease in a person? How are people treated for this disease? Is it possible to save an animal that has this disease or not? You can find out the answers to all these questions by reading the article.
History and distribution of the disease
The clinical picture of this disease was first described in the 18th century. Frosch and Leffler were able to answer the question of what foot-and-mouth disease is and prove its viral etiology. They did this in 1988.
Widespread viral infection among animals over a large area occurs everywhere until the 21st century. Foot and mouth disease in humans is very rarely recorded at this time.
Epidemiology of the disease
Two-hoofed animals are considered the source of infection. Basically, these include: Very rarely, pigs, goats and sheep get sick. Typically, a person becomes infected by consuming raw milk. Foot and mouth disease is also transmitted through direct contact with sick animals.
A person himself cannot infect another person. Most often children get sick. Because they are the ones who consume milk as a drink. The source of diseases in adults is their profession. In addition, as mentioned above, a person will become infected if there is an undisinfected dairy product in his diet.
Causes of the disease
Foot and mouth disease. What kind of disease is this and what is its causative agent? It turns out that the main “culprit” is considered to be picornavirus, which belongs to the aphthovirus family. It contains RNA and is stable in the external environment. The virus remains viable on the fur of sick animals for up to one month, and on human clothing for up to 21 days. In addition, it can easily tolerate drying and freezing. The virus becomes inactive when exposed to ultraviolet rays, heat, and when exposed to disinfectant solutions. There are 3 known stereotypes: A, B, C.
Primary aphtha appears in the oral mucosa. It happens that the virus enters the blood. It forms secondary aphthae in the skin of the hands and mucous membranes. After this, viremia develops. The latter, in turn, is accompanied by intoxication. This is the beginning of the disease.
Cases of death may occur if secondary infection, myocarditis and dehydration are associated.
How does foot and mouth disease spread?
The source of the disease is both wild animals and livestock. Some rodents are susceptible to this virus. Fortunately, they do not have any significant effect on the spread of foot and mouth disease.
In turn, birds do not get this disease. But they are carriers of the disease during migration.
Animals suffering from this disease excrete the pathogen in urine, milk, feces and saliva.
Foot and mouth disease is transmitted through a contact mechanism, that is, a person becomes infected when the virus gets on the skin or mucous membrane. Due to its high resistance, the infection can be introduced into areas that are far from the source of the disease. Thus, foot and mouth disease affects farm animals.
Routes of infection
Having learned the definition of what foot and mouth disease is, we note that there are several reasons leading to the development of the disease:
- animal care;
- processing of hides and wool;
- inhalation of dust particles that contain the virus;
- consumption of unproperly processed meat and dairy products from a sick animal.
Unfortunately, people's natural susceptibility to the virus is not that high. After a person suffers from the disease, it lasts for about 1.5 years.
Symptoms of foot and mouth disease
The incubation period of the disease lasts from a couple of days to two weeks. Foot and mouth disease begins suddenly. Body temperature rises sharply and chills are noted. A severe headache and aches in the limbs appear.
At the end of the day, most patients complain of a burning sensation in the mouth. Additional symptoms of the disease include damage to the urethral mucosa. Namely, in this case, patients say that they experience painful urination.
When examining an infected person, signs such as pain and enlargement of regional lymph nodes, severe swelling of the oral mucosa are revealed. The latter is covered with small bubbles, which are also called aphthae. There is a clear or cloudy liquid inside them. They are located along the edges, as well as on the tip of the tongue.
Exactly 24 hours later, the aphthae opens. After them, erosions remain, which sometimes merge.
If the mucous membrane of the cavity is extensively affected, then the person has difficulty swallowing and has difficulty speaking. The infected person's lips are swollen. A crust appears on them. In addition, erosions can appear not only on the tongue, but also on the wings of the nose. There are cases of skin lesions around the nails and between the fingers. Sometimes the disease is characterized by the fact that in the presence of the last symptom, there may not be erosion in the genital cavity.
Signs of illness in children
As mentioned above, most often infection occurs due to the fact that the child consumes the milk of a sick animal.
Foot and mouth disease in children is much more severe than in adults. They experience severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and dyspeptic disorders. When the disease occurs, epithelium forms at the site of erosion after 3 days. At this time, the fever also subsides. As a rule, a child’s complete recovery is observed after two weeks. But, if there are significant lesions of both the oral mucosa and the skin, then this period can last up to a month. Sometimes new secondary water cavities may form.
How does the disease develop in animals?
The virus, which enters the body of livestock through the outer integument or digestive tract, penetrates the epithelial cells. This is where its reproduction and fixation occurs. Subsequently, the animal develops a serous inflammatory process. They develop two primary aphthae. As a rule, livestock owners do not notice this. During this period of development of the disease, the condition and behavior of the animal does not change in any way. A day later, the second phase begins.
Afterwards it enters the blood and all organs. This process causes an acute febrile reaction in the animal.
As a result, a large number of secondary aphthae appear in the epidermis in the interhoof cleft, oral cavity and on the skin of the udder nipples.
If treatable, then in animals years. As a rule, in this case, all livestock that were in contact with the infected person are destroyed. Otherwise, the virus may spread to other healthy animals.
Diagnosis of the disease
Foot and mouth disease in humans should be distinguished from diseases such as drug allergies and chicken pox, acute herpetic stomatitis.
The diagnosis is mainly made on the basis of the characteristic clinical signs of the disease and the patient’s complaints.
To confirm the diagnosis in a laboratory, you can also infect guinea pigs. To do this, the test material is rubbed into the skin of their paw pads.
Also, one of the methods for diagnosing foot and mouth disease is the complement fixation reaction with a specific antigen. A positive reaction appears after two weeks of illness. The test requires blood from the patient's vein.
Complications of the disease
Why is foot and mouth disease dangerous for people? The consequences of the disease are extremely rare. This can occur due to various secondary infections. In children, diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dehydration.
In adults, meningitis, myocarditis, pneumonia and sepsis may occur.
If complications develop due to the disease, treatment with antibiotics will be required. They will help in the fight against infection.
Treatment of the disease
The patient must be in a hospital. Proper oral care and local treatment are provided here. Methods are also used to relieve symptoms.
While the patient has affected areas in his mouth, he will need to take food only in liquid or semi-liquid, easily digestible form. In addition, the temperature of the food should be moderate.
Ointments such as oxolinic and interferon are applied topically. Physiotherapeutic procedures are also widely practiced. Basically, patients are prescribed laser and ultraviolet irradiation.
Antipyretic and analgesic medications, as well as cardiovascular medications, can be prescribed strictly only by a specialist. If necessary, detoxification measures are carried out. To generally strengthen the patient’s body, vitamins are prescribed.
FMD prognosis
In general, adult patients recover within two weeks after the onset of the disease. In this case, the prognosis is favorable. There are no consequences.
For young children whose disease is severe, the prognosis is serious. Possible death.
Disease prevention
The basis of this event is the health of farm animals. After all, foot and mouth disease most often occurs in cows.
For this purpose, sanitary and hygienic control is carried out over the health and working conditions of people working at agricultural enterprises. It is necessary to vaccinate animals against foot and mouth disease in a timely manner. There are special inactivated vaccines for this purpose.
Individual prevention consists of observing personal hygiene measures when working with animal raw materials and livestock. In addition, it is necessary to protect against injury to the skin.
Other people, those who do not work in agriculture, should also be careful and careful. You should eat meat and dairy products that have undergone the necessary processing. This mainly concerns the nutrition of children. Before giving meat or milk to a child, it must be subjected to thorough heat treatment. In this case, if there is a virus in the food, it will die during cooking. Vaccination of people against foot and mouth disease is not carried out.
Thus, after reading this article, you can easily answer the question: “What is foot and mouth disease?” Symptoms of the disease and preventive measures will help others protect themselves from this disease. Remember that following a few recommendations will help you avoid this terrible disease and stay healthy.
foot and mouth disease(aphthous fever, epizootic stomatitis) is an acute infectious disease of animals, mainly cattle, goats and pigs, expressed in fever and the formation of a rash in the form of blisters (aphthae) on the oral mucosa and on the skin in the hooves. The most susceptible to the disease are young animals, in which foot and mouth disease is severe, with mass death. This disease can become widespread among animals in the form of epizootics. Human foot-and-mouth disease occurs only in isolated cases and does not become epidemic among people, since human susceptibility to foot-and-mouth disease is low. Foot and mouth disease is not transmitted from person to person.
Animals that are immune to foot-and-mouth disease, such as dogs, cats, horses, and sometimes chickens, ducks, geese, sparrows and other birds can also carry the infection. Wild animals that suffer from foot-and-mouth disease include: saigas, wild boars, moose and other artiodactyl animals. Foot and mouth disease has been known on earth since time immemorial. It is distributed in all countries of the world. In Russia, foot and mouth disease among animals has been recorded since 1881.
Historical background
Foot and mouth disease was first described and its contagiousness indicated in Italy in 1546. D. Fracastoro. In the 17th and 18th centuries. Foot and mouth disease, which was often malignant and was often confused with cattle plague, was established in many European countries. In Russia, foot and mouth disease has been known since the first half of the 19th century. In 1897, Leffler and Frosch discovered the causative agent of the disease - a filter virus. Currently, foot and mouth disease occurs in many countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. The last outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Russia was recorded in 2005 in the Amur region, Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories as a result of its introduction through the territory of Mongolia from China, where there was an epizootic of foot-and-mouth disease of the Asia-1 type.
Pathogen
The causative agent of the disease, the virus, belongs to the Picornaviridae family, genus Afthovirus. The viral particle consists of ribonucleic acid (RNA) surrounded by a peripheral protein capsid containing 32 capsomeres. In the body of a sick animal, the virus is in greatest concentration in the epithelium of the aft walls and in the lymph in the first 24-48 hours of illness. It can be found, but in much lower concentrations, in saliva, blood, urine and feces. Moreover, the virus from canker sores becomes infectious already at a dilution of 1:100-200 million, and from feces only at a dilution of 1:100. There are 7 known types of virus: O, A, C, Asia-1, SAT-1, SAT-2, SAT-3 and many of their variants. Nowadays they are predominantly distributed in the world types O, A, Asia-1 and SAT-2. Animals that have had one type of foot-and-mouth disease may become ill again if infected with a different type of virus.
The foot and mouth disease virus is relatively resistant to environmental factors. On the surface of objects contaminated with the secretions of animals with foot-and-mouth disease, the virus persists for 150 days, in manure for up to 168 days, in slurry for up to 40 days, and in wastewater for up to 103 days. In the blood of cattle and pigs (after rapid freezing of meat carcasses), the virus remains active for 40 days. In chilled milk it remains for up to 47 days; in fresh milk at a temperature of 37 degrees it dies after 12 hours, at the same time in sour milk and when cooking cheese, the virus quickly dies.
The virus survives on animal fur and human clothing for 28-40 days. When biothermal neutralization of manure is carried out correctly, the virus dies in 10-15 days. Heating to 60 degrees kills the virus in 15 minutes, and at 80-100 degrees it is destroyed almost instantly. The best disinfectant for destroying the foot and mouth disease virus is to use a 2-3% hot solution of sodium hydroxide and a 1% solution of formaldehyde.
Routes of infection
The ways of transmitting pathology are also quite obvious:
- the pathogen lives on outerwear people in contact with sick animals;
- FMD can withstand even long-term transportation of livestock;
- the disease can spread through contaminated food.
The most common variant of infection with the virus is contact with damaged areas of the udder, limbs, or through the mucous membrane of the mouth.
Leaving the area of initial reproduction, the virus cells enter the blood and, together with its current, move towards the organs of the immune system, completely affecting it. The virus can concentrate in the area of the heart and skeletal muscles. This is how the tissue fibers of the heart muscle and the functionality of its performance are deformed.
Pathogenesis
It occurs cyclically with the appearance of blisters and erosions on the mucous membrane of the mouth, the skin between the fingers and the nails.
The foot-and-mouth disease virus affects domestic and wild artiodactyl animals (cows, goats, sheep, deer, pigs, etc.) and is released into the external environment by sick animals with saliva, milk, urine, and droppings. The foot and mouth disease virus is highly resistant in the external environment.
Human sensitivity to it is low. Infection usually occurs through the nutritional route through the consumption of raw dairy products, as well as meat that has undergone insufficient cooking. Boiling and pasteurizing milk kills the virus. The disease can be of an occupational nature: veterinary workers can become infected through contact while caring for sick animals. The virus penetrates through damaged skin and mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, and eyes. In addition, there are known cases of airborne infection.
In humans
The incubation period lasts from 2 to 6 days. In most cases, foot and mouth disease begins acutely: chills, headache, weakness, pain in muscles, bones, and lower back appear, body temperature rises to 38–39.5°. After a couple of days, dryness and burning in the mouth appears, sometimes photophobia, and burning when urinating. When examining patients, small oval blisters are found on the lips, palate, and mucous membrane of the cheeks. After 1-2 days, the blisters open on their own and in their place, painful, irregularly shaped, bright red superficial ulcerations - aphthae - appear. Sometimes they merge with each other. At this stage of the disease, the body temperature decreases, but the patient’s well-being worsens - pain appears when swallowing, profuse salivation, the tongue swells, speech becomes slurred, lips become swollen, covered with ulcers and crusts. Bubbles also form on the skin between the fingers and toes, at the base of the nails.
Aphthae usually heal quickly, within 3–5 days, without leaving scars. The temperature finally returns to normal and overall health improves.
Foot and mouth disease in cattle
The disease occurs in a normal or malignant form.
In most cases, foot and mouth disease in cattle at different stages of the disease is manifested by the following symptoms:
- Copious salivation.
- Eating and chewing gum are difficult
- Gastroenteritis.
- Abscess.
- Hyperthermia.
- Oppression.
- Fall in milk yield.
- Ulcers on the skin of the udder. With foot and mouth disease, severe pain occurs in cattle, which makes milking impossible, which provokes mastitis.
- Hoof inflammation. A secondary infection occurs, this leads to phlegmon of the corolla and the falling off of the horny shoe.
- When the limbs are affected, it hurts to walk, the cows lie down all the time.
The malignant course of foot and mouth disease is typical for young animals and weakened adult animals. Bronchopneumonia develops, and necrotic processes begin in the lungs. The walls of the book, as well as the scar, die off, and the functioning of the heart is disrupted. In most cases, death occurs 2–6 days after the appearance of aphthae.
Sometimes, 8–12 days after the appearance of clinical signs, a short-term improvement occurs, followed by a sudden deterioration of the condition. The cow loses its appetite, stops chewing cud, develops symptoms of cardiac failure, and paralysis of the hind legs. The disease ends in the death of the animal.
Foot and mouth disease in calves
In cubs up to two months of age, the scar does not function, so the disease has certain features:
- Aphthae are not formed.
- The disease occurs with signs of acute gastroenteritis or bronchopneumonia.
In the absence of proper treatment, foot and mouth disease ends in the death of calves.
Foot and mouth disease in small ruminants
The latent period in sheep lasts 2–3 days. Small aphthae are formed, which heal quickly if no complications arise. A characteristic sign of foot and mouth disease in sheep is lameness. During epizootics, massive ulcerative lesions of the lips, gums, and tongue occur. In this case, hyperthermia and cessation of chewing gum are observed. In lambs, the disease is characterized by septicemia with extensive mortality.
In goats, mouth closing, teeth grinding, and lameness are observed. When the udder becomes inflamed, mastitis occurs.
Recovery occurs in two weeks or a little earlier. Foot and mouth disease in small ruminants occurs with fewer complications than in large ruminants.
Foot and mouth disease in pigs
For omnivores, the incubation period is 1–2 days. The limbs are predominantly affected, resulting in lameness. With phlegmon of the claws, the horny capsule may collapse. Canker sores are observed on the snout and udder. A depressed febrile state occurs. The duration of the disease, depending on the complications that arise, is 1–4 weeks. In suckling piglets, the disease occurs in a septic form and is characterized by high mortality.
Malignant form
When foot and mouth disease becomes severe and other diseases are associated with it, the duration of the disease increases to a month. The virus can accompany streptococci, staphylococci, metritis, lung diseases and other infections. As a rule, complications will occur in cows with weakened immune systems.
In some cases, with obvious signs of foot and mouth disease, the animal shows signs of recovery. Appetite appears and strength returns. But after about two weeks or even less, weakness, lethargy and rapid pulse suddenly set in. Limbs may stop moving, making it impossible to lift the cow.
There is a violation of cardiovascular activity. The heart refuses to work and stops. A similar turn can occur at the beginning of the disease. The ulcers do not have time to cover large areas of the body and the temperature rises to a minimum. But a sharp deterioration in the condition leads to half of the deaths precisely when the heart fails in the first stages.
It is noteworthy that foot and mouth disease from cows is easily transmitted to humans. The latter has signs of the course of the disease similar to animals. These include muscle pain, headaches, and fever. In a matter of days, aphthae form in the mouth, which can also join. All these symptoms cause persistent discomfort. Hands and feet are covered with blisters.
Diagnostics
For staging accurate diagnosis The veterinarian should rule out other pathologies, e.g. various types stomatitis, catarrhal fever and cowpox. The manifestations of these diseases are similar to foot and mouth disease.
Facilitates diagnosis by taking biomaterial for laboratory testing:
- Blood.
- Saliva.
- Contents
Samples of biomaterial should be placed in sealed sterile capsules, frozen or preserved according to the instructions of the epidemiological station. Transportation of samples is carried out in compliance with safety measures, since the foot-and-mouth disease virus belongs to the category of microorganisms of a high degree of danger.
Treatment
Treatment of foot and mouth disease in cows is prescribed upon preliminary diagnosis. A sick animal is immediately separated from the herd and treated under quarantine conditions. The conditions in which she is kept are of great importance for a weakened cow. The litter should be soft, clean, and the air should be fresh. The pen is kept warm. For viral diseases, drinking plenty of fluids is recommended. It is necessary to monitor the purity of the water.
How to properly organize the nutrition of a sick cow? Since the oral cavity and mucous membranes internal organs If you are very impressed, then the menu should be radically changed. The diet includes only delicate feed - soft hay, fresh grass, flour mash, high-quality silage.
Treatment of aphthous lesions in the oral cavity
The oral cavity, udder and limbs of the animal must be disinfected at least twice a day to prevent the spread of aphthae and the addition of a secondary bacterial infection.
For this, solutions are used:
- Acetic acid at a concentration of 2%.
- Furacilina – 0.5%.
- Potassium permanganate – 1%.
If there are a lot of aphthous lesions, it is advisable to treat them with an ointment containing analgesic, disinfecting and wound-healing components. You can cook it yourself. Take 70 g of Vaseline, 20 g of fish oil, 2.5 g of novocaine powder, the same amount of anesthesin and 5 g of copper sulfate. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Lubricate the cow's aphthous lesions morning and evening. The use of this remedy allows you to relieve pain and promotes rapid regeneration of affected tissues.
Treatment of limbs and udder
The cow's hooves also need to be treated, because ulcers also form on the skin of the limbs - on the corolla and in the inter-hoof cleft. To prevent infection from getting into them, the animal’s limbs are lubricated daily with disinfectant solutions and fish oil with tar, taken in equal proportions. A good effect is achieved after treating the hooves with a formaldehyde solution at a concentration of 5%.
If the udder is also affected by canker sores, it should be treated daily. For this use:
- Emulsion with syntomycin.
- Trypoflavin ointment with novocaine.
- Vaseline-based ointment with propolis.
What to do in case of severe foot and mouth disease?
If the disease is severe and affects cardiac activity, it is recommended to give the sick cow a sedative mixture to avoid overloading the heart valves. This is how they prepare it. Dilute 10 ml of valerian tincture, potassium bromide (6 grams), 15 ml of lily of the valley tincture in 2 glasses of water. The animal is given this volume of medicine to drink at one time.
In case of extensive damage to internal organs, to maintain the health of the animal, it is often recommended to feed the sick animal with honey. If the cow does not eat anything at all, then flour mash is injected into her stomach using a probe.
At the first symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease infection, it is advisable to use anti-foot-and-mouth disease immunolactone or serum. Such products help activate the animal’s body’s defenses.
As part of human treatment for foot and mouth disease, isolation and hospitalization of patients is required for at least 14 days from the onset of the disease. A special diet is prescribed - liquid food is required 5-6 times a day.
Ulcers on mucous surfaces are cauterized with 2–5% solutions of silver nitrate. Sometimes, when a secondary infection occurs, antibiotics are prescribed. Usually, by the end of the 2nd week, complete recovery occurs and ability to work is restored.
How to protect animals from disease
In disadvantaged areas, cattle are vaccinated against foot and mouth disease to prevent pathology. For this purpose, hyperimmune serums have been created. A vaccine against foot and mouth disease based on the blood of convalescents (virus carriers) is also used. If an animal is vaccinated for the first time, then by the end of the third week after vaccination it forms immunity and retains it for a year. Moreover, the stability of antibodies in the blood of vaccinated cattle lasts 6 months. Vaccination is one of the important factors of foot-and-mouth disease in Russia. When there is a threat of infection of cows and to protect against complications, the conditions for keeping animals are improved and dietary nutrition is prescribed.
Measures to combat foot-and-mouth disease depend on the geography of the outbreak, the epizootic picture, farming traditions and other features.
There are four approaches to this issue:
- refusal of vaccination, elimination of all infected and potentially infected animals (radical);
- immunization only around the outbreak and destruction of animals in the outbreak;
- carrying out regular vaccinations of cows for the purpose of prevention in border zones, extermination of patients in the outbreak and vaccination around the source of infection;
- elimination of infected livestock in combination with intensive vaccination and organization of quarantine measures.
The first method effectively destroys the foot-and-mouth disease virus in the area of its primary detection. Developed countries can afford it, since the economic damage in such cases amounts to millions of dollars. The third, based on regular immunization, makes it possible to successfully maintain protection against a dangerous virus in Russia. The latter, a comprehensive method, is aimed at protecting against foot and mouth disease not only in the source of infection, but throughout the entire epizootic chain. Therefore, it is recognized as the most effective and is used in disadvantaged and border areas.
In Russia there is a program to combat the foot-and-mouth disease virus. The set of measures includes monitoring the situation, control over the movement of animals, over the products of livestock farms in combination with regular vaccination. If foot and mouth disease is detected, the corresponding instructions come into force. By order of the governor, a quarantine is established in a locality or farm. Due to the high contagiousness of the virus, sanitary and quarantine measures carried out by the veterinary service should be strictly observed.
Position of the International Office of Epizootics on foot-and-mouth disease
FMD control strategies:
- slaughter of all animals with clinical signs and susceptible animals in outbreaks that came into contact with them;
- slaughter of animals in outbreaks with forced vaccination (in a threatening zone) with further slaughter of vaccinated animals;
- slaughter of all animals with clinical signs and those that came into contact with them in outbreaks with forced vaccination (in the threatening zone around outbreaks of infection) without further slaughter of vaccinated animals;
- vaccination without slaughter of animals and vaccinated animals.
To restore the free status, it is necessary to conduct a serological study of animals to detect antibodies to non-structural proteins of the foot-and-mouth disease virus.
In regions of Russia with developed livestock farming, even in our age of high technology, outbreaks of zoonoses - diseases transmitted from animals to humans - periodically occur. They cause not only severe harm to health, but also enormous damage to the country’s economy. One of these diseases is foot and mouth disease - a dangerous acute viral infection characterized by damage to the mucous membrane of the mouth and nose, the skin of the periungual bed and interdigital folds.
Features of the virus
The causative agent of foot-and-mouth disease is a rather small (diameter does not exceed 30 nm) RNA-containing virus belonging to the Picornaviridae family and the Afthovirus genus. Science knows seven of its types: O, A, C, SAT-1, SAT-2, SAT-3, Asia-1. Moreover, if an animal was sick with one of these types, then after recovery it can easily become infected with any other. In addition, immunity after illness remains for a period not exceeding eighteen months.
The foot and mouth disease virus can remain in the external environment for quite a long time. Thus, on the surface of objects it retains its ability to infect animals and humans for 150 days, and in manure it remains active for 168 days. The virus remains unchanged on the fur of mammals and clothing of people for 28 to 40 days.
In dairy products, the shelf life of the virus varies somewhat. For example, in milk, whose temperature is maintained at 37 degrees, the pathogen remains active for twelve hours, but in a refrigerated product this period increases to 47 days. But in fermented milk products and when making cheese, the virus quickly dies.
Low temperatures do not destroy the pathogen, and it lives in frozen carcasses for about 40 days. Heating, on the contrary, inactivates the pathogen quite quickly. So, at 60 degrees the virus dies in 15 minutes, and a temperature of 80-100 degrees kills it almost instantly.
For the disinfection of premises and care items, a 2-3% hot solution of caustic soda or potassium, a 1-2% solution of formaldehyde and a 20% solution of freshly slaked lime are best suited. These agents inactivate the virus within ten minutes.
Some veterinary information
All artiodactyl animals are susceptible to foot and mouth disease - cattle, pigs, small cattle, and deer. Buffaloes and camels are less susceptible. If dogs and cats drink contaminated milk, they too can easily become infected. Among laboratory animals, marine animals, rabbits and mice are susceptible.
It should be noted that birds and horses do not suffer from foot and mouth disease. But birds, like rodents, take an active part in the spread of infection.
All susceptible animals can become infected with foot and mouth disease, regardless of gender and age. But young animals get sick much more severely than adults, and deaths are common among calves, piglets and lambs.
Nowadays, outbreaks of the disease are recorded in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Foot and mouth disease epidemic in Russia last time were recorded in 2015 in the Amur region, Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories.
Healthy animals become infected through nutritional and aerogenic routes. The virus can be brought onto a farm in various ways:
- With sick animals.
- With contaminated feed and water.
- With infected care items.
- Service personnel - cattlemen, milkmaids, veterinarians - can bring the pathogen on their clothes and shoes.
- On the wheels of cars entering the farm.
Animals on the farm eat feed and inhale dust containing the infectious agent. And, entering the body through mucous membranes and damaged skin, the virus penetrates the epithelium and begins to actively multiply. In this case, primary aphthae are formed in the interhoof gap or in the mouth - no more than two pieces. The next day, the virus spreads throughout the body through the bloodstream. Because of this, the animal experiences an increase in body temperature, refusal to feed, and a depressed state.
The immune system of the sick person destroys the pathogen in almost the entire body. The exception is the cells of the mucous membrane and skin, which are poorly supplied with blood and, accordingly, with antibodies. The virus multiplies well in them, as a result of which many aphthae are formed in the mouth, in the interhoof gap, on the crown of the hoof and on the skin of the udder nipples, which cause severe anxiety to the animal.
In artiodactyls with weak immunity, as well as in young animals, damage to the skeletal and cardiac muscles is possible.
In adult animals, foot and mouth disease occurs in two forms:
- Typical.
- Atypical, which, in turn, is divided into malignant, abortive and latent.
In adult cows and sheep, the symptoms of the disease are almost the same - a short-term increase in temperature, the formation of aphthae, erosions, and salivation. Damage to the udder is accompanied by the development of mastitis. After 8-10 days recovery occurs. In young animals, foot and mouth disease is accompanied by signs of gastroenteritis or bronchopneumonia. If help is not provided in time, the young animals will die.
In adult pigs, the oral cavity is rarely affected; aphthae are located on the limbs, snout and mammary glands. The duration of the disease ranges from eight to twenty-five days. In piglets, a septic form of foot and mouth disease is observed, in which 60-100% of the young animals die in the first days of the disease.
In adult goats, the clinical picture is less pronounced than in cows. The oral cavity, limbs and udder are affected. There is no drooling, but grinding of teeth can be heard. Animals usually recover within two weeks.
In adult deer, aphthae appear on the mucous membrane of the mouth and the skin of the limbs. In addition, diarrhea is noted. If the disease is not complicated by accompanying microflora, then after 14 days the animals recover.
During treatment, it is necessary to create for patients optimal conditions- the room must be clean and well ventilated, and there must be dry bedding. It is best to use bran mash as feed. Patients are provided with complete rest. All ulcers are treated with a 0.1% solution of potassium permanganate or a 0.5% solution of furatsilin. For the hooves, baths are made with a 5% formaldehyde solution.
If the disease is severe or complicated by a concomitant infection, then treatment takes more time and effort. Special medications are used to support the immune system and cardiovascular system. And to treat hooves with signs of necrosis, novocaine blockades and antibiotics are used.
To prevent foot and mouth disease, farms carry out routine vaccination of cloven-hoofed animals and prevent the introduction of the virus into the territory with feed and water. It is mandatory to install sanitary checkpoints and quarantine newly imported animals.
Foot and mouth disease and medicine
Foot and mouth disease is a disease that is transmitted from a sick animal not only to a healthy animal, but also to humans. There are several options for contracting this viral infection:
Most often, the virus enters the human body during consumption of contaminated products. Therefore, unpasteurized milk must be boiled, and meat obtained from artiodactyl animals must be cooked longer.
Mechanism of development and symptoms of the disease
The virus enters the human body through mucous membranes and injured skin. At the site of penetration, a bubble filled with a turbid liquid is formed - aphtha. It is here that the virus multiplies throughout the entire incubation period, which lasts on average from two to six days. After this time, the bubble bursts, and the pathogen penetrates into the bloodstream epithelial cells oral mucosa. In addition, the foot and mouth disease virus in humans is also localized in the skin around the nails and between the fingers and toes.
Numerous aphthae filled with cloudy exudate appear in the mouth and on the surface of the skin. After a few days they burst, ulcers form, which gradually unite, occupying large areas.
For foot and mouth disease, the symptoms are quite characteristic, so it is difficult to confuse it with other diseases. In humans, the disease is always acute. At the beginning of the pathology, a person feels weak, body temperature rises to 40 degrees, suffers from headaches, and loss of appetite.
As aphthae appears, the symptoms become more numerous. There is a burning sensation in the mouth, the formation of bubbles filled with liquid, pain when chewing food, and increased salivation. After aphthae appear on the body, hyperthermia persists for about 5-6 days. And then the temperature begins to gradually decrease. This indicates the beginning of the healing process, which can last about 14 days.
In this case, the disease is tolerated quite easily by adults. Unlike children, who have much more rashes and much more pain. If a child is infected by consuming milk, the clinical picture will resemble poisoning. In this case, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are observed.
Young children are very seriously ill. Unfortunately, the prognosis for them may be unfavorable. There are known cases of children dying as a result of infection with the foot and mouth disease virus.
Making a diagnosis
Foot and mouth disease is a disease whose specific symptoms allow a diagnosis to be made fairly quickly. But sometimes you can observe less pronounced clinical signs. In this case FMD is quite easily confused with other diseases:
- Chicken pox.
- Herpetic stomatitis.
- Erythema.
Sometimes aphthous skin lesions due to a viral infection are similar to a rash that occurs as a result of an allergy.
To make an accurate diagnosis, the attending physician collects the most complete information about the patient. First of all, the doctor is interested in the place of residence of the victim, namely the well-being of the area regarding foot and mouth disease. This is followed by questions about whether the person had contact with sick animals, and whether he consumed raw milk. After collecting anamnesis, the doctor sends the patient for laboratory tests. The patient must undergo tests - blood, saliva and feces. And in the laboratory they will carry out serological diagnostics to determine the presence of antibodies in the blood.
Only after collecting anamnesis and conducting all the necessary laboratory tests will the doctor be able to make a final diagnosis.
Providing assistance
Having identified the disease, the doctor sends the patient to a hospital for two weeks, where he is provided with specialized care. Since there are no specific drugs for the treatment of foot and mouth disease, the patient is prescribed drugs that alleviate his condition and a special diet.
Due to the fact that foot and mouth disease affects the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, eating is accompanied by severe pain. Therefore, the patient is given frequent meals in small portions and plenty of fluids. Food must be liquid and warm. If the pain is too strong, then they resort to feeding through a tube.
Treatment boils down to treating the affected mucous membrane and skin. To do this, use hydrogen peroxide, a solution of silver nitrate, potassium permanganate or rivanol. After washing the wounds, various topical preparations are applied to them. Most often, oxolinic, florenal, interferon and other antiviral ointments are used for these purposes.
Damaged areas are treated with antiseptic sprays. These drugs destroy pathogenic microflora, preventing it from developing.
Antiviral drugs are often prescribed in the form of tablets and capsules. They help the body cope with the pathogen and help alleviate the general condition.
Because of large quantity prescribed medications, a person may develop an allergy. To avoid this, the patient is prescribed medicines having antihistamine properties.
In addition to specific symptoms, foot and mouth disease is also characterized by clinical signs common to most infections - increased body temperature, soreness and aches in the muscles and joints. To alleviate the condition, the patient is prescribed antipyretics and painkillers.
If secondary microflora joins the viral process, then it is necessary to use antibiotics that destroy microbes that cause various diseases.
To increase the body's resistance, the patient is prescribed various vitamins and, if necessary, immunostimulants.
In addition to medications, physiotherapy is often used in hospital settings. These include, for example, laser treatment. Before using it, the doctor applies a solution of methylene blue to the affected areas. After this, the laser beam comes into operation, which affects the damage for five minutes, promoting tissue regeneration.
To treat mucous membranes, not only laser is used, but also aerosol therapy. At the same time, medicinal substances, in the form of tiny particles, penetrate deeply into the affected tissues, where they exert their therapeutic effect.
Preventive measures
The main point in the prevention of foot and mouth disease is compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. If there is an outbreak of an epidemic on the farm, then all sick animals are isolated. They are cared for by farm workers only in special clothing. After leaving the premises where sick animals are kept, the work uniform must be removed and hands must be washed thoroughly. Passage from the isolation ward is only possible through a disinfection barrier.
It is strictly forbidden to consume milk from animals suspected of having a disease without subjecting it to heat treatment. Products from diseased artiodactyls are destroyed.
It is always better to thoroughly boil and fry the meat. After preparing food, it is recommended to wash all utensils, as well as hands, thoroughly using detergents.
After contact with any animals, regardless of their health status, you must wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
Foot and mouth disease is a disease that in humans almost always occurs in an acute form and ends with recovery. And although treating this infection is not so difficult, it is much easier to prevent its occurrence by observing the necessary rules of personal hygiene. In addition, having noticed the first clinical signs of the disease, there is no need to make an independent diagnosis. It is better to immediately consult a doctor for qualified help, without waiting for complications to develop.
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