Disease Monitoring
Disease monitoring (surveillance) of animals for foot and mouth disease (FMD) involves close observation and testing. FMD lesions are typically mild or inapparent in adult sheep while death rates in lambs can be high. Animal caretakers should be aware of what to look for in order to find infected flocks. Producers should establish a relationship with a USDA Category II Accredited Veterinarian if they have not already, as they may be a necessary component of disease monitoring and sample collection (surveillance) during an outbreak. Click here for the USDA Accredited Veterinarian locator. Producers should report suspicious clinical signs to their veterinarian or state or federal animal health official.
The document, Factors to Consider Regarding Surveillance, Biosecurity and Movement Permitting of Sheep in a Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak summarizes challenges in disease monitoring (surveillance) options for sheep premises within a Control Area to demonstrate a lack of evidence of FMD virus infection to support continuity of business movements.
