Case study: Drainage and foot-and-mouth

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a severe, highly communicable viral disease of cloven footed animals. It can have devastating impacts on both livestock and national economies; the 2001 outbreak eventually cost the UK economy £8 billion. This paper examines the latest outbreak of FMD in 2007, which is thought to have originated from the drainage system of a research facility in Pirbright (Surrey, UK), and led to the infection of 8 nearby farms. The biosecurity arrangements associated with such facilities are examined, and the importance of an efficient and secure drainage system, to the overall level of biological containment, is highlighted. Information and data gathered from four comprehensive reports is used to illustrate the most probable sequence of events leading up to the outbreak. Finally, recommendations relating to the outbreak will be detailed and conclusions discussed.