Disease concerns study abroad
program
By Barney Haney
Staff
Writer
Hoof and mouth disease has been causing a ruckus
lately. The disease has been causing some concern around campus with
upcoming summer study abroad programs.
Though many have heard of the disease, not many
are familiar with what it actually is.
The United States Department of Agriculture defines
hoof and mouth disease, more popularly known as foot and mouth disease,
as a highly contagious and economically devastating disease that affects
cattle, swine, sheep, goats, deer and other cloven-hoofed ruminants.
Symptoms of the disease include blisters around
the mouth or on the feet, reduced appetite and lameness. Many affected
animals recover, but the disease causes severe losses in the production
of milk and meat.
The seriousness of the disease and its consequences
has led to some changes of plan for students planning to study abroad
in Ireland. Of the three students from the agriculture study abroad
program, one has switched to Australia, another will do research at
the campus rather than rural farms and a third dropped it altogether.
Michael Stitsworth, associate director of international
programs in agriculture, said there are students from Ireland that come
to the United States to study.
The agriculture study abroad program has taken
measures such as having orientation and distributing foot and mouth
informational fliers.
The fliers explain the disease and what travelers
can do to avoid transporting it. The preventative measures include avoiding
animal facilities five days prior to travel, cleansing all clothing
and personal items that may have come in contact with animals and avoiding
contact with livestock or wildlife for five days upon returning.
Stitsworth said the most common way of carrying
the disease is by clothing or shoes, and he said it can live in the
human nasal passages for 28 hours.
The disease is easily carried and highly contagious.
"Almost 100 percent of cloven-hoofed animals that
are exposed to it contact the disease," said Stitsworth.
Though the disease can remain in the nasal passages
for 28 hours, it is not believed to readily affect humans. The disease
also has no implications for the human food chain.
The chances for the disease getting into the country
are great, but heightened alert at ports of entry and airports should
help to keep it out.
There is no cure for the disease yet, but it usually
runs its course in two to three weeks with most animals recovering,
although some animals take up to six months to totally recover.
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