LIFE SCIENCE

Viewpoint: Yes, all animals that might have been exposed to the foot-and-mouth disease virus should be destroyed.

Viewpoint: No, animals suspected of being exposed to the foot-and-mouth disease virus should not be destroyed because the threat of the disease to humans is minimal.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed livestock animals like pigs, cattle, sheep, and goats. The foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is a member of the picornavirus family, which includes important human pathogens, such as poliovirus, hepatitis A virus, and rhinovirus. These viruses are characterized by a small RNA genome. Usually, the virus is transmitted by contaminated...