Short Answer: Foot and Mouth Disease is an Animal Infection that Usually Devastates UK Farming.

Friday 3 August 07

Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Environment Minister Hilary Benn cancelled their holidays to return to London to deal with a Foot and Mouth infection on a farm near Guildford, in Surrey.

A nationwide ban on the movement of all sheep, cattle and pigs has also been put in place. All the cattle on the infected farm are to be killed.

The outbreak raised the spectre of the foot-and-mouth epidemic of 2001, which brought chaos to Britain and left farming and tourist industries devastated. It led to the slaughter of between 6.5 and 10 million animals, ruined many rural businesses and is estimated to have cost the country up to £8.5 billion.

Some "experts" have questioned the way Blair's government handled the last crisis. Will Wee Gordie react in the same way by killing and burning his way through the livestock of England?

Wiki Research

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD, Latin name Aphtae epizooticae), sometimes called hoof-and-mouth disease, is a highly contagious and sometimes fatal viral disease of cattle and pigs. It can also infect deer, goats, sheep, and other bovids with cloven hooves, as well as elephants, rats, and hedgehogs. Humans are affected only very rarely.

Most animals eventually recover from FMD. Some infected animals remain asymptomatic, that is, they do not suffer from or show signs of the disease; but they are carriers of FMD and can transmit it to others.

Humans can be infected with foot-and-mouth disease through contact with infected animals, but this is extremely rare. Because the virus that causes FMD is sensitive to stomach acid, it cannot spread to humans via consumption of infected meat.

Well, that's a relief... throw the (infected) T-Bone on the Barbee and break out the beer!!

Oh! No... further research and a new word "Zoonosis":

Man's susceptibility to the virus of foot- and-mouth disease (FMD) was debated for many years. Today the virus has been isolated and typed (type O, followed by type C and rarely A) in more than 40 human cases. So no doubt remains that FMD is a zoonosis. Considering the high incidence of the disease (in animals) in the past and in some areas up to date, occurrence in man is quite rare. In the past when FMD was endemic in Central Europe many cases of diseases in man showing vesicles in the mouth or on the hands and feet were called FMD. The first suggestion of a human infection with FMD was reported in 1695 by Valentini in Germany.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9413529&dopt=AbstractPlus

http://www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/

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3 August 2007 - A Declaration of a Protection Zone, Surveillance Zone, and Restricted Zone, following the confirmation of foot and mouth disease on a farm in Surrey. In addition to the Protection and Surveillance Zones, the Restricted Zone implements a ban on the movement of susceptible animals (among other measures) and covers the whole of England (similar measures are in force in Scotland and Wales). Declaration Order and Map [PDF] (470 KB). A news release has been issued. An interactive map is available showing restriction zones.

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DEFRA NEWS RELEASE
Date: 3 August 2007

Foot and Mouth Disease Confirmed in Cattle, in Surrey.

Following an investigation of suspected vesicular disease by Animal Health on a holding near Guildford in Surrey, laboratory results have this evening indicated that the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) virus is present in samples from cattle on the premises.

On the basis of the initial laboratory results Debby Reynolds, UK Chief Veterinary Officer has confirmed Foot and Mouth Disease. In accordance with the legislation and contingency planning arrangements all the cattle on the premises will be culled. A Protection Zone of three kilometres radius and a Surveillance Zone of 10 kilometres has been placed around the premises, and a GB wide national movement ban of all ruminants and pigs has been imposed.

Nationally no animal movements are allowed except under licence, controls are in place on movement of animal carcasses, animal gatherings, shearing and dipping are restricted, and all farms must increase levels of biosecurity. In both the Protection and Surveillance Zones, there will be requirements for increased levels of biosecurity on farms, movement controls, controls on transportation of dung/manure and treatment of animal products to ensure destruction of the FMD virus.

The farm itself has been under restrictions since late on Thursday evening when symptoms were reported to the local Animal Health office. A 1km temporary restriction zone was placed around the premises earlier today whilst investigations and testing were completed, in line with domestic and EU legislation.

The European Commission has been informed.

Wonderful.