4/20/2022

Foot-and-Mouth Disease
(Aphthous Fever)

Extremely contagious, acute viral epitheliotropic

disease of cloven-hoofed animals, characterized
by fever and erosions in the mouth and hooves.
It is rarely fatal except in very young animals.
Cause
Aphthovirus, non-enveloped, single
stranded RNA (ssRNA) virus
The virus occurs in seven principal serological
types. (0, A, C, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3, and Asia 1)
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• After entry, the primary viral replication occurs in the pharynx or respiratory
tract.
• Once infection gains access into the bloodstream (viraemia), the virus is widely
disseminated throughout the body, probably in mononuclear cells, and produces
lesions, chiefly in epithelial cells (epitheliotropic virus).
• Gross lesions develop mainly in the epithelium of the mouth and hooves, and to
a lesser extent, teats.

• Epithelial lesions initiated by infection of single cells in stratum spinosum

• Following infection , lysis of cell swollen by degeneration and release of
intracellular fluid or focal intercellular edema
• Rupture of bullae leading to ulcerations and erosions.
• In young animals, t he virus usually causes necrotizing myocarditis (the main
cause of high mortalities).

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Diffuse buccal hyperemia and mild

catarrhal stomatitis
Vesicles and erosions on dorsum of the tongue, cheeks,
gums , lips, hard palate, dental pad and skin nearing to
the coronary bands (aphthae).
The aphthae are fused together to form a large vesicles
known as (Bullae).
Rupture of bullae leading to ulcerations and erosions.
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Foot lesions occur in the majority of cases.

• Inflammatory swelling with blanching of
skin of interdigital spaces.
• The swellings persist until the vesicles
rupture and the resultant erosions heal
• Healing is considerably delayed on the feet.

The vesicles also seen on the un-haired parts as udder and teats
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•Lesions in the myocardium are most common

in the fatal disease in very young calves or
lambs, but also occur in young goats.
•The lesions observed in the wall and septum
of the left ventricle, and seldom in the atria
•Appear as small greyish foci of irregular size
which give myocardium a somewhat striped Multifocal pallor on the surface of
appearance - so-called "tiger heart". both right and left ventricles
(arrows).
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• The lesion begins as localized "balloon degeneration" of

cells in the middle of the stratum spinosum
• Affected epithelium showing pyknotic nuclei.
• Some of the vesicles (aphthae) coalesce to form bullae Cytolytic of stratum spinosum cells,
creating vesicle
• Bullae develop by lysis of cell swollen by degeneration
and release of intracellular fluid or focal intercellular
edema)
• Later these bullae rupture and form ulcerated regions
infiltrated with leukocyte mainly lymphocytes.
Ulcerative stomatitis

In myocardium, small areas of hyaline degeneration

and necrosis of muscle fibers
The hyalinized cardiac muscles become swollen and
loss of the striation and sarcoplasm become more
eosinophilic and homogenous
Lymphocytic cellular infiltration in-between the
cardiac muscles. Interstitial edema and mixed
inflammatory cellular infiltration,
myocyte necrosis & fragmentation

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•Similar lesions may be observed in the skeletal muscles .

•Sharply defined areas of necrosis are seen grossly as grey foci of various sizes
•Microscopically, there are necrosis of muscle bundles associated with intense
leukocytic infiltration.
•Zoonotic Importance
•Natural infection may occur in humans.
•However, the disease is usually mild and limited to acute fever with the
appearance of vesicles on the hands, feet, and oral mucosa.

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