On Wednesday, 21 May, the EU’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (PAFF) examined the results of the full genome sequencing relating to the recent clusters of foot-and-mouth disease in Slovakia and Hungary (see EUROPE 13566/11).
The genomic sequencing was carried out by the EU Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EURL), which analysed 33 samples and isolates. The sample selection aimed to ensure comprehensive epidemiological coverage.
Analysis has revealed that all the clusters originated from a single viral introduction. The virus seems to have been introduced shortly before the first case appeared in Hungary, which was reported on 6 March 2025.
This analysis confirms the findings of the field investigations conducted by the competent authorities in both Member States. The investigations have also shown that the virus is closely related to a strain previously identified in Pakistan in 2018.
During the committee meeting, the European Commission reaffirmed the importance of combining field surveillance with modern genetic sequencing techniques to trace and control animal diseases. The investigations are ongoing. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)