Foot-and-Month DISEASE.

The disease threatens livestock everywhere. What about people-is it safe to eat meat?

Since mid-February, fires have darkened the skies over British farmlands. Government officials have burned the carcasses of more than 500,000 cows, sheep, and pigs in an effort to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease.

So far, the British government is losing the battle. "This epidemic is indeed out of control," says veterinary expert Mark Woolhouse. The effects of the disease, he adds, are "going to get a lot worse" before the situation improves.

A Global Threat

The recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has spread to every continent except North America, Australia, and Antarctica. U.S. officials worry that the disease may soon reach the U.S.

The disease is not harmful to humans. But it strikes cloven-hooved animals, causing them to lose weight and stop producing milk-making the cattle unfit to sell.

Foot-and-mouth disease is extremeiy contagious. It is spread when livestock eat contaminated feed or come in contact with infected animals. The virus can also hitch a ride in the air, and on clothing, shoes, or car tires.

In Europe, the virus has already spread to livestock in Ireland, France, and the Netherlands.

In March, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a temporary ban on all imports of European livestock, fresh meat, and unpasteurized dairy products. Australia and Canada have also banned such imports.

Tourists arriving from the British countryside have been made to disinfect their shoes at U.S. airports.

U.S. officials want to protect the $50-billion meat industry, as well as the financial security of America's 2.1 million farmers. Animals carrying the foot-and-mouth virus must be destroyed to protect other animals from infection.

Facing financial ruin, members of the European meat and tourism industries have criticized the USDA'S measures as too drastic. But Kevin Herglotz, a USDA spokesman, defends the ban.

"We want to make sure [the disease] doesn't cross the ocean by means of our ports or travelers," he says. "If foot-and-mouth disease were to enter the United States, the cost is in the billions."

If It Reaches the U.S.

Foot-and-mouth disease last struck the U.S. in 1929. In the past two years, 60 countries have found animals infected with foot-and-mouth disease (see map).

But the outbreak in Europe worries U.S. officials the most. That's because a large number of tourists and products come from Europe to the U.S. every day.

Experts warn that if the disease reaches the U.S., the results could be disastrous. A severe outbreak would require the government to kill large numbers of animals and to quarantine farms--all of which would drive up food prices for American consumers.

Mad Cow Scare

USDA officials are also worried that mad cow disease may reach the U.S. Unlike foot-and-mouth disease, which harms only animals, mad cow disease can cause a fatal brain disorder in humans.

Last month, the USDA seized sheep on two farms in Vermont. The sheep, which had been imported from Europe, had symtoms similar to mad cow disease. The sheep were trucked to a federal lab in Iowa for slaughter and testing.

There is no evidence of mad cow disease in the U.S. And you cannot get the human form of the disease unless you eat infected meat.

Should you stop eating meat to protect yourself? The answer depends on how much of a risk you. are willing to take. The risk is very small--but it cannot be totally ruled out.

Unfortunately, eating almost any food caries a risk. Health officials point out that 85 percent of food poisonings can be traced to fruits, vegetables, seafood, and cheeses.