Rewritten Title: Official Clarification: Foot-and-Mouth Disease Poses No Significant Threat to Human Health
Article:
In response to circulating reports on social media, a senior health official has issued a definitive clarification regarding Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), assuring the public of its minimal risk to human health and outlining the comprehensive control measures in place.
No Threat to the General Public
Dr. Mohammad Zinali, Head of the Zoonotic Diseases Department at the Ministry of Health, has categorically stated that Foot-and-Mouth Disease is not a zoonotic disease, meaning it is not transmissible from animals to humans under normal circumstances.
“The virus that causes Foot-and-Mouth Disease does not cause any symptoms in humans,” Dr. Zinali explained. He emphasized that even in the rare event of the virus entering the human body, it might, at most, cause a very mild digestive issue and nothing more.
Robust Veterinary Safeguards in Place
The official highlighted the continuous and proactive efforts of the country’s Veterinary Organization to monitor and manage the disease in livestock.
“The Veterinary Organization constantly monitors livestock and treats animals showing symptoms of the disease. If necessary, culling is also carried out,” Dr. Zinali stated. He further detailed that vaccination programs are actively underway to prevent the spread of the disease among animals.
Stringent Food Safety Protocols Assured
A key point of reassurance was the integrity of the food supply chain. Dr. Zinali firmly stated that products from infected animals do not enter the food market.
“The milk production of an infected animal drops significantly and eventually stops, so it does not enter the market. Furthermore, the Veterinary Organization destroys the meat from animals infected with FMD. Therefore, it absolutely does not enter the food cycle,” he affirmed.
Clarifying a Common Misconception
Dr. Zinali also took the opportunity to clarify a common point of confusion, distinguishing FMD from a completely unrelated human illness.
“Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD), which is seen in children, is different from Foot-and-Mouth Disease in animals,” he said. “The viruses are entirely different—FMD is caused by an Aphthovirus, while HFMD is caused by a Coxsackievirus. There is no connection between the two.”