Over 10 MILLION animals were sacrificed during this outbreak. :???:
9-10-01
Foot-and-mouth could have blown to UK from the Sahara
Britain's foot and mouth epidemic may have been caused by a cloud of infected
dust blown from the Sahara, say scientists.
They have linked the outbreak to a massive plume of sand that swirled out of
northern Africa several days before the disease was first reported.
The soil there is contaminated with microbes and faeces.
Dr Dale Griffin, of the US Geological Survey, told the Observer: "Satellite
images show a dust cloud moving over the Atlantic and reaching Britain on 13
February. One week later, foot and mouth broke out in the UK.
"Given that the disease's incubation period is seven days, that is one heck of a
coincidence."
Dr Eugene Shinn, another US geological survey scientist, said: "There is no
sewage treatment or proper garbage disposal there - so the soil is heavily
infected with microbes and faeces.
"Cattle there are also infected with the same viral strain, type O, that is
causing foot and mouth in Britain."
Storms frequently carry dust from the Sahara to Britain and their incidence is
increasing, thanks to climate changes.
For years, researchers assumed bacteria, viruses and fungi caught up in such
clouds would be sterilised by the sun's ultraviolet rays. But now scientists
have discovered they may be finding protection against radiation by clinging to
dust and sand particles.
Dr Griffin and his team analysed several dust clouds, and found a wide range of
plant and human pathogens. Crucially, these samples were obtained by making
cultures. "Only live organisms can generate cultures, which shows we are dealing
with microbes that are still infectious after their Atlantic crossing," he said.
See this story on the web at http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_393887.html
9-10-01
Foot-and-mouth could have blown to UK from the Sahara
Britain's foot and mouth epidemic may have been caused by a cloud of infected
dust blown from the Sahara, say scientists.
They have linked the outbreak to a massive plume of sand that swirled out of
northern Africa several days before the disease was first reported.
The soil there is contaminated with microbes and faeces.
Dr Dale Griffin, of the US Geological Survey, told the Observer: "Satellite
images show a dust cloud moving over the Atlantic and reaching Britain on 13
February. One week later, foot and mouth broke out in the UK.
"Given that the disease's incubation period is seven days, that is one heck of a
coincidence."
Dr Eugene Shinn, another US geological survey scientist, said: "There is no
sewage treatment or proper garbage disposal there - so the soil is heavily
infected with microbes and faeces.
"Cattle there are also infected with the same viral strain, type O, that is
causing foot and mouth in Britain."
Storms frequently carry dust from the Sahara to Britain and their incidence is
increasing, thanks to climate changes.
For years, researchers assumed bacteria, viruses and fungi caught up in such
clouds would be sterilised by the sun's ultraviolet rays. But now scientists
have discovered they may be finding protection against radiation by clinging to
dust and sand particles.
Dr Griffin and his team analysed several dust clouds, and found a wide range of
plant and human pathogens. Crucially, these samples were obtained by making
cultures. "Only live organisms can generate cultures, which shows we are dealing
with microbes that are still infectious after their Atlantic crossing," he said.
See this story on the web at http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_393887.html