FMD is caused by a virus. Infected animals develop vesicles (blisters) on the inner lips, gumline, hooves and teats. Symptoms also include high fever, severe pain, lameness and, in the case of lactating animals, severe losses in milk production. For most animals, FMD is not fatal. There is no treatment option for infected animals. 

FMD is a highly contagious disease with a short incubation period, as a result of which it spreads very rapidly. It is particularly infectious and virulent in cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and certain wild animals. 

 Other animal species and humans either do not contract the disease or show only mild symptoms (vesicles on mucous membranes). Animals that have recovered from the disease can remain carriers of the infectious FMD virus over a long period of time and infect other animals. 

The FMD virus is very persistent in the environment. It can remain infectious for months or years in the soil, in sewage or slurry, and also in frozen or dried form (in hair, on clothing or shoes, in hay etc.). The virus is either transmitted directly from animal to animal (via secretions or excrement) or indirectly on vehicles, equipment, shoes and clothing. Airborne transmission is also possible.

FMD is not dangerous for humans. Infection through the consumption of food or by human-to-human transmission is unknown. Individual infections in humans who had direct and intensive contact with infected cloven-hoofed animals or with the FMD virus itself are described in technical literature. These cases resulted in mild illness that cleared up spontaneously. As far as foods are concerned, pasteurised milk and dairy products, for example, are not assumed to present any danger under usual modern-day hygiene conditions. Milk and meat can therefore be consumed without concern.

No. Due to similarities in the symptoms, FMD is sometimes confused with hand, foot and mouth disease, which mainly affects young children. There is no connection between the two diseases, however.

Dogs, cats and other domestic animals (such as horses) cannot usually contract the disease. They can become contaminated with the virus, however, and thus spread it indirectly.

On 10 January 2025, foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) was detected in a water buffalo in the district of Märkisch Oderland (federal state of Brandenburg). This was the first case of FMD in Germany since 1988. In response, the competent authority in Brandenburg immediately established restricted zones from which it was inter alia generally prohibited to transport animals and animal products. The livestock inside the restricted zones and identified contact farms were investigated to determine the cause and extent of the infection. Additionally, the federal states of Brandenburg and Berlin imposed a standstill for cloven-hoofed animals – that is, a blanket ban on moving animals susceptible to FMD. The immediate standstill was a vital measure, initially for gaining relevant knowledge about the outbreak and thus for preventing any possible further spread of this highly contagious animal disease. In addition, Berlin’s Zoo and Tierpark were temporarily closed, and no cloven-hoofed animals were being exhibited at the Berlin Grüne Woche trade fair (17-26 January 2025). 

In spite of extensive sampling and examinations, no further cases have been detected. 

Alongside these measures, the national task force on animal disease control began meeting the day the outbreak was detected. The Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) also convened the central animal disease crisis team and consulted with the German federal states and the EU on the further course of action. The relevant committee of the German Bundestag met for a special session. Moreover, discussions continue to take place with agricultural and food industry associations. 

In January, several non-EU countries initially stopped the import of certain meat and milk products from Germany. With a lot of committed work, the BMEL was able to quickly open markets again. For example China and Malaysia, which are important for milk and milk products. And also Great Britain, which is a very important export market for animals and animal products. 

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) reinstated the status of “free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) without vaccination” on 14 April 2025 upon request from Germany. The rapid confirmation of the important WOAH freedom status was made possible because Germany submitted two comprehensive dossiers to WOAH. They were drawn up at the BMEL – in comprehensive cooperation between the BMEL and the affected federal states of Brandenburg and Berlin, the FLI and an expert sent by the EU. Official recognition of WOAH animal health status is of great importance to international trade.

No. To stop FMD from spreading, priority is given to containing the virus with immediately effective measures, such as movement restrictions, by establishing restricted zones and imposing standstills. This is an expedient step from an epidemiological perspective and helps to limit economic damage. 

Now that the Friedrich Loeffler Institute has identified the virus serotype, the suitable vaccine will quickly be able to be produced in a sufficient quantity thanks to the existing FMD vaccine bank (activation of the vaccine reserve). On 20 January 2025, Brandenburg requested the activation of this vaccine reserve in order to be equipped for all conceivable scenarios and to be able to respond quickly should vaccinations become necessary. 

The activation of the vaccine reserve in January 2025 was intended to strengthen the capacity to respond in the control of the disease, since at least six days are needed from activation to the possible provision of the vaccine. The activation of the vaccine reserve was not tantamount to a decision on whether the vaccine would actually be deployed. The use of the vaccine would only have been considered in case of a further spread of the outbreak, which did not happen. 

EU law only permits emergency vaccinations in exceptional circumstances, as the European Union has been free from FMD for many years and vaccination is consequently not the containment option of first choice. Emergency vaccination would thus only be considered if the infection spreads widely and rapidly. An emergency vaccination in the form of a ring vaccination would make it possible, for instance, to create a barrier of immunity around the outbreak site and consequently to prevent the disease from spreading further.

FLI FAQs: https://www.openagrar.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/openagrar_derivate_00063922/FLI-FAQ_MKS_2025-01-17_en_bf.pdf

In the EU internal market, meat and dairy products produced outside the restricted zone could continue to be traded via the regionalisation system. 

Third-country exports of products made from receptive animal species could initially no longer be certified, either due to the certification requirement (“Germany free from FMD”) temporarily not being met or due to bans actively imposed by third countries. 

However, it had rapidly been possible to agree upon exemptions for specific product groups, in particular heat-treated milk, with important trading partners (including the People’s Republic of China and Malaysia). A complete opening for animals and animal products was achieved in some cases such as the important export market of Great Britain. 

Reopening the closed markets for all products as quickly as possible remains the top priority. The reinstatement of the FMD-free status for Germany on 14 April 2025 by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) is a very important step for this.

The impact of the FMD case caused a situation that was and is very burdensome for animal farmers. The holdings whose animals had to be culled are compensated directly for the culling and transport by the Animal Disease Fund of the federal state of Brandenburg, assuming they meet the conditions (e.g. the animal farmer has paid his contribution to the fund). The Rentenbank also initiated its liquidity assurance programme and consequently supports all agricultural holdings that have been affected by the impact of FMD. Together with the EU Commission, the BMEL is moreover examining an extraordinary support measure pursuant to Article 220 of the Common Market Organisation. In addition to this, the BMEL is also in contact with the lead Federal Ministry of Finance on possible tax relief measures such as deferment and enforcement measures and the adjustment of advance payments. 

The fact that WOAH reinstated the status of “free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) without vaccination” for Germany is a significant success. The BMEL continues to seek to persuade trading partners to further open their markets for animals and products from Germany in order to also minimise the economic damage for holdings not directly affected by FMD.

Foot-and-mouth disease was detected on a cattle farm in northwest Hungary in early March. This is the first outbreak in Hungary since 1973. Further cases have now been reported in the vicinity, both in Hungary and in the bordering Slovak Republic. There is no evidence whatsoever suggesting that the FMD outbreak in Brandenburg in early January 2025 and the FMD outbreak in Hungary in early March 2025 are connected. The BMEL is in contact with the affected countries. Germany is providing doses of vaccine in order to prevent the spread of the virus. 

Precautionary biosecurity measures and constant attention are key for the holdings in Germany in order to prevent FMD introduction and a renewed outbreak of the disease.