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March 15, 2001

We are concerned about the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the UK and Europe and are committed to keeping this devastating livestock disease out of Massachusetts and the United States.

We wish to reassure the public that while FMD is a serious animal disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, the disease presents no public health risk.

However, though people are not at risk of illness, people may carry the virus on their clothes or shoes, their luggage and in their nasal passages. The virus may also be present in food materials originating in FMD infected countries even if the food material has been prepared or processed.

Therefore, in order to keep FMD out of the United States, it is the responsibility of every traveler returning from a foot and mouth disease infected country to declare if he or she has been in contact with animals during their travels, or has brought foods of plant or animal origin back with them.

We recognize that there is considerable air travel between the UK and New England and Logan International Airport serves as a major entry point for travelers returning to the region

The primary responsibility of keeping foreign animal diseases out of the United States rests with the federal government through the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. These are the people with the beagle dogs at the international arrival terminal of the airport.

Representatives of the Commissioner’s office and the Bureau of Animal Health have met with the APHIS staff in New England to discuss the Foot and Mouth Disease situation. The DFA has pledged to cooperate with APHIS in the important work of keeping FMD out of the United States.

Toward this end we have embarked on a general information campaign to alert the general public and especially the agricultural community about the Foot and Mouth Disease situation and increased our visits to farms, auctions, livestock dealers and other facilities where cloven-hoofed animals are kept.

Any further information about matters relating to FMD in Massachusetts can be referred to the veterinary staff in the Bureau of Animal Health at 617-626-1795.

The USDA website is a useful source of information about FMD at www.usda.gov.

-- Commissioner Jonathan L. Healy

For More Information

Bioterrorism Advisory for Farmers

Commissioner's Message - 03/15/01

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Alert

Prevention Tips for Travelers

Photos of Food-and-Mouth Disease symptoms

USDA/APHIS Foot-and-Mouth Disease page

USDA Foot-and-Mouth Fact Sheet