Foot and Mouth Disease

Humblet et al 2012 prioritized 100 animal diseases and zoonoses in Europe using 57 prioritization criteria. The method of disease prioritization has been defined as the “organization of listed diseases into a hierarchy, considering their respective impacts”. Five aspects of a pathogen were considered: epidemiology, prevention/control, effects on economy/trade, zoonotic characteristics, and effect on society. [1]

A novel swine-originated influenza A virus known as pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was first isolated from humans in Mexico in April 2009, the worldwide pandemic resulted in more than 18,000 deaths. Swine, turkeys, ferrets, cats, and cheetahs, were found to have been infected. Transmission from humans to pigs were reported. In August 2010, the World Health Organization stated that the pandemic caused by this virus had ended. [1]

Knowles et al. 2012 report that foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks recently affected Japan and South Korea in eastern Asia that were free of FMD. The serotype A and O viruses caused these outbreaks. The origin of the viruses was the mainland Southeast Asia. [1]

Scientists mutating the H5N1 to bioweapon
Ron Fouchier at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, and Yoshihiro Kawaoka of the University of Wisconsin, are now being seriously criticised because of their study. Kawaoka did the lab work of the  controversial H5N1 study at the University of Wiskonsin, but has also an appointment at the University of Tokyo's Institute of Medical Science. [1]