Key result
Vaccination combined with One Health surveillance and strict biosecurity is essential to eradicate foot-and-mouth disease.
Why the study?
Foot-and-mouth disease continues to impose a significant global economic burden, prompting an examination of its worldwide epidemiology and control through a One Health approach.
Effective control and ultimate eradication of foot-and-mouth disease requires a One Health approach integrating vaccination, robust surveillance, and coordinated efforts across veterinary and public health sectors.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
One Health integration critical for FMD control in livestock; leaves open scalable interventions across endemic regions and species.
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is one of the most contagious viral infections affecting livestock, including cattle, water buffalo, pigs, sheep, goats, and African buffalo. Caused by the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), it continues to impose a significant economic burden, with annual losses estimated at up to 21 billion U.S. dollars. This review examines the worldwide epidemiology and control of FMD through a One Health approach, emphasizing the interconnectedness of animal, human, and environmental health. Vaccination remains the most effective strategy for preventing and controlling FMD in both endemic and non-endemic regions, particularly when vaccines are well-matched to circulating strains. However, silent circulation of FMDV, where animals carry and shed the virus without showing clinical signs, presents a critical challenge to eradication efforts. Mucosal immunity emerges as a key component of protection, serving as the first line of defense at the virus’s point of entry and playing a vital role in blocking transmission. Equally important is the establishment of robust and systematic surveillance systems capable of detecting asymptomatic FMDV infections, which are essential for identifying hidden reservoirs and preventing undetected spread. Effectively combating FMD requires coordinated efforts that go beyond vaccine development alone. Success depends on integrated surveillance networks, strict quarantine and movement restriction policies, reliable diagnostic infrastructure, and the implementation of One Health frameworks that bring together veterinary services, agricultural authorities, and public health sectors. Together, these strategies bridge the gap between disease control and ultimate eradication.
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Mehmood et al. (2026) conducted a review in Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Vaccination and One Health framework was evaluated. Vaccination combined with integrated One Health surveillance networks and strict biosecurity measures is essential for controlling and ultimately eradicating foot-and-mouth disease globally.
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