Foot-and-Mouth Disease Found in Hungary

First occurrence in over 50 years

The World Animal Health Information System this morning announced the discovery of foot-and-mouth disease in cattle in Hungary. From their report:

Start date – 3/3/2025 

Confirmation date – 3/6/2025 

Date of last occurrence – 12/31/1973 

Serotype – pending 

Species – cattle

Location – Kisbajcs  

Control Measures at Event Level – surveillance within the restricted zone, disinfection, movement control, official disposal of carcasses, by-products and waste, official destruction of animal products, traceability, and stamping out

From a PigWorld online report, a United Kingdom-based website and publication:

Confirmed on a cattle farm in Kisbajcs, Hungary 

Farm with 1,400 cattle showed classic symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease at the beginning of March before FMD confirmation 

Hungary’s national chief veterinarian immediately ordered the farm closure and initiated an epidemiological investigation to determine how the virus reached the farm 

Confirmation announced by Hungary’s National Food Chain Safety Authority 

The confirmation of FMD in cattle in Hungary comes less than two months after the virus was found in water buffalo in Germany (1/10/2025). Hungary does not share a border with Germany; FMD-affected animals are approximately 475 miles apart. Read more about the FMD occurrence in Germany here.  

SHIC actively monitors global swine diseases as part of its mission to enhance swine health through the identification and mitigation of emerging disease threats and will continue to monitory the situations in Hungary and Germany.

Achieving SHIC’s mission requires quality information shared readily with the industry. The webinar and podcast along with SHIC’s website, monthly enewsletter, and engagement with industry media serve as conduits for the information gained from strategic research and disease monitoring.