From Piotr Krysiak, Wythenshawe Hospital
One of the most distressing aspects of the epidemic of foot and mouth disease
now ravaging Britain’s farms is pictures of stacks of animals being burnt, with
thick clouds of dark smoke blowing in the wind.
As a surgeon I routinely use electrocautery in my work. It has been known for
some time that live viruses can spread through the plume given off by vaporising
infected tissues at high temperature by electrocautery or with surgical
lasers.
Do similar conditions exist when infected carcasses are burned? Clouds of
highly infectious smoke could in theory be carried many miles, infecting animals
even in the areas where animal movement is banned.
Manchester
