Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD): questions and answers
BfR FAQs, 17. Januar 2025
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease in cloven-hoofed animals. The FMD virus is not hazardous to humans.
On 10 January 2025, FMD was detected on a water buffalo farm in the district of Märkisch-Oderland in Brandenburg. This is the first case of FMD in Germany since 1988. By that, Germany has lost its FMD-free status in accordance with the requirements of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has compiled a selection of questions and answers below.