To learn more, access these United States Department of Agriculture Web sites by using the following links:
  APHIS
 USDA

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 Foot and Mouth Disease Prevention Information
 For Passengers Traveling To The United States
 From FMD Infected Regions of the World

 In response to the increasing number of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks worldwide,
 travelers to the United States from infected regions need to take steps to help prevent the
 accidental introduction of the disease into this country.

 FMD is not considered a human health risk but humans can carry the virus on their clothing,
 shoes, body (particularly the throat and nasal passages) and personal items. The disease is
 extremely contagious and spreads easily among cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep,
 pigs, goats and deer. Introduction of FMD into this country would be disastrous to the
 American livestock industry and wildlife community. For this reason all visits to farms or other
 livestock facilities in FMD infected areas and all food items and other materials of plant or
 animal origin in the traveler's possession must be reported on the U.S. Customs
 Declaration Form upon entering the country.

  The following preventive measures should be taken by travelers to the United States
 from FMD infected countries:
 

1. Avoid farms, sale barns, stockyards, animal laboratories, packing houses, zoos,   fairs or other animal facilities for 5 days prior to travel.  2. Before travel to the United States, launder or dry clean all clothing and outerwear.   All dirt and soil should be removed from shoes by thorough cleaning prior to wiping   with cloth dampened with a bleach solution. (5 teaspoons of household bleach in   1 gallon of water). Luggage and personal items (including watches, cameras, laptops,   CD players and cell phones), if soiled, should be wiped with a cloth dampened   with a bleach solution.   3. Avoid contact with livestock or wildlife for 5 days after arrival in the United States.  Extra precautionary measures should be taken by people traveling from farms   in infected locales to visit or work on farms in the United States. It is advisable that   employers or sponsors provide arriving travelers with a clean set of clothing that can be worn   after the visitor showers and shampoos thoroughly. Visitor's traveling clothes should be   laundered or dry cleaned immediately. Off-farm activities should be scheduled for the   visitor's first 5 days in-country and contact with livestock or wildlife should be strictly avoided.

 

ALL questions regarding Foot-and-Mouth Disease:                                                  Call 1 800-601-9327, outside the U.S. 01-301-734-9257                                                  Push #2 for FMD                                                  The following links provide information about Foot-and-Mouth Disease                                                   and the Foot-and-Mouth outbreak in the United Kingdom.                                                       http://www.guardian.co.uk/footandmouth                                                        http://www.maff.gov.uk                                                        http://aleffgroup.com/avisfmd/                                                        http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/in_depth/uk/2001/foot_and_mouth

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