Full genome sequencing to study the evolutionary characteristics of foot-and-mouth disease virus in southern Africa

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is endemic in most countries of southern Africa where it affects cloven-hoofed animals that include livestock and wildlife. Southern Africa relies profoundly on livestock production as a source of economic growth and livelihoods. Despite the importance of FMD in southern Africa, the epidemiology of FMD virus (FMDV) and factors contributing to the endemicity of FMD infection in susceptible animal populations are not clearly known in this region.