Work on foot-and-mouth disease leads to alliance

The University of Minnesota recently signed a memorandum of agreement with the Global Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Alliance, a partnership initiated by Dr. Andres Perez, endowed chair for global animal health, and Dr. Kim VanderWaal, a researcher in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine. Foot-and-mouth disease is of great concern globally, and the disease is one of the top priorities of the World
Organization for Animal Health. University of Minnesota scientists have been active in foot-and-mouth disease research in countries in which it currently occurs (Kenya, Uganda, India, Vietnam) or was successfully eradicated (Argentina, Uruguay), and in guiding the response plan for a potential epidemic in the U.S.

Dr. Kim VanderWaal and staff members of the Kenya Wildlife Service test a sedated African buffalo for foot-and-mouth disease at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya. Nearly 70 percent of buffalo in east Africa are infected with the disease.