Foot and mouth disease in human beings.: A human case in Chile

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) of cattle can cause a significant economic burden and is thus for one of the most feared of cattle disease. FMD is endemic in South America, Africa, Asia and parts of Europe and it is characterized by vesicles in different locations, mainly mouth, feet and teats leading to severe animal weakness. Currently most countries refuse to import livestock and livestock products from FMD areas. North and Central America are currently free of FMD and Chile is free of FMD from 1987. Approximately 40 cases of human infection with FMD virus have been reported, mostly in Europe, and confirmed by virus isolation and the detection of a specific immune response. We discuss the case of a human infection with FMD virus occurred in Chile in 1961 and other relevant cases reported. FMD does not currently present a threat to public health. Even though the FMD virus has the potential to mutate rapidly and emerge as a significant human zoonosis; the rarity of the disease in humans despite a long history of close contact with FMD infected animals suggests that the risk is highly improbable. Then FMD should not be managed as a zoonosis.