Albert Lea High School choir students should take extra precautions on their upcoming trip to regions of England teeming with foot-and-mouth disease to make sure they don’t bring back any biological souvenirs, University of Minnesota extension educators say.

Wednesday, April 18, 2001

Albert Lea High School choir students should take extra precautions on their upcoming trip to regions of England teeming with foot-and-mouth disease to make sure they don’t bring back any biological souvenirs, University of Minnesota extension educators say.

As of Tuesday morning, 1,400 infected herds had been identified in Europe, Extension Educator Kendall Langseth said. Despite control efforts, 40 to 50 new herds are being infected each day.

Part of the choir trip’s itinerary takes the students through heavily infected areas near Wales. If they are not careful, the students risk bringing the virus back, threatening Freeborn County’s $60 million livestock industry.

&uot;It does affect us directly here in Freeborn County,&uot; Langseth said. &uot;There are a lot of livestock producers here in Freeborn County that are concerned.&uot;

Foot-and-mouth is extremely contagious. Humans cannot contract the disease, but they can carry it on their body, hair, clothes and shoes. It can also be transmitted up to 20 miles by air.

The United States has been free of foot and mouth disease since 1929, Langseth said, and herds have no immunity to the disease. It is difficult to vaccinate against because there are several strains that could be contracted.

Langseth told a group of parents and students attending the England choir trip there are a few things they can do to ensure the safety of Freeborn County livestock.

&uot;When you’re over there, be sure you stay as clean as possible, that your clothes are clean and dry, and you don’t bring anything back with you,&uot; he said.

Since animals can be carriers of the disease without showing symptoms, the United States Department of Agriculture and animal and plant health protection service ask travelers to avoid contact with any animals, excluding zoos, farms and walks in the country from their itinerary. Travelers who visit an area that is infested, or has an outbreak while they are there, need to fill out a form detailing their contact, Langseth said.

Students should also resist temptation to bring any cheese, salami or other products that could carry the disease back home with them, he said. It is illegal as well as dangerous, and they could face a $1,000 fine for trying to smuggle those products into the United States.

&uot;When you’re over there, don’t even think about buying anything like that and bringing it back,&uot; Langseth said.

The students should consider bringing a change of clothes in a sealed plastic bag to change into before boarding the plane for home, Langseth said. The rest of their clothes should be contained in a plastic bag and be washed immediately in very hot water when they return.

The students will also need to disinfect all shoes worn on the trip, he said.

&uot;That is actually supposed to be happening at all entry points when they get to the US from England,&uot; he said.

Students who live on farms with animals will have to take extra precautions to ensure they do not transmit the disease, Langseth said.

&uot;When you get back from England, if you live on a farm with livestock, I would strongly encourage you to find another place to live when you get back for a minimum of five days, preferably seven,&uot; he said.

Langseth told the group he will put together a fact sheet on foot and mouth disease and the recommended safety precautions. Trip chaperones will get together with Diane Heaney, Albert Lea High School Chorus director to further discuss the group’s biosecurity plan.

&uot;We want to make sure that Freeborn County or Albert Lea doesn’t make the map for any reason,&uot; Langseth said.