Foot-and-mouth disease virus (O/UKG/2001) is poorly transmitted between sheep by the airborne route

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) can be spread by the airborne route and therefore atmospheric dispersion models have been developed to predict where the virus might spread during a disease outbreak. Airborne transmission between sheep of the FMDV strain involved in the outbreak in Europe in 2001 (O/UKG/2001) was studied experimentally. Recipient animals were exposed to two donor sheep excreting virus for 2, 4, 6, 8 or 24 h. Although FMDV was detected in air samples collected during challenge, none of the recipient sheep became infected. These data suggest that O/UKG/2001 is not efficiently transmitted by the airborne route between sheep.