It’s one of the fastest replicating and spreading viruses that you may have never heard of. That’s because Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMD) was eradicated from the United States almost 100 years ago; however, it is still endemic in many other parts of the world.

“By the time you detect the virus on one farm, it’s likely already moved to adjacent farms, so it’s extremely challenging to control,” says Steven Szczepanek, associate professor of pathobiology and veterinary science.

Szczepanek, his graduate student Aishwarya Mogulothu, and colleagues from USDA recently identified a potential new target for treating and stopping the spread of FMD in the event of an outbreak.

A devastating disease that impacts cloven-hoofed animals like cows and pigs, FMD is currently controlled through vaccination and culling herds, neither of which are perfect solutions.

“The economics of this are critical, so the United States goes to great lengths to ensure that we maintain our FMD-free status.”

The research relied on cell lines that overexpress Interferon Stimulated Genes (ISGs). After screening hundreds of lines, they identified several genes that impacted viral replication.

Szczepanek says that the challenge was all worth it and they have new directions to pursue in looking for new therapeutic methods for FMD.

“We need to understand the full scope of how biological systems function, so somebody can look at that information to develop new treatments.”