The Chandigarh administration has successfully vaccinated over 21,000 livestock animals to combat the highly contagious Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). FMD is a viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. It disrupts livestock production and international trade in animals and animal products. While FMD does not affect humans, it poses a significant threat to the livestock industry. The causative agent is the foot-and-mouth disease virus, primarily transmitted through direct contact among animals and contaminated objects. Vaccination is a common preventive measure, reducing the disease’s severity in affected animals.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Transboundary Animal Disease (TAD): Diseases that can spread across national borders, affecting multiple countries and disrupting international trade in livestock and animal products.
- Picornaviridae Family: A family of viruses to which the foot-and-mouth disease virus belongs. These viruses have RNA genomes and are known to infect a wide range of hosts.
- Cloven-Hoofed Animals: Animals with divided hooves, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. They are susceptible to foot and mouth disease.
- Contaminated Feed: Feed that has come into contact with the virus and can transmit FMD to animals that consume it.
- Endemic: A disease that is consistently present in a particular region or population. In regions where FMD is endemic, vaccination is a crucial strategy to manage and control outbreaks.