Strategy for the control of foot-and-mouth disease in Uruguay.

FMD was diagnosed in Uruguay and in most of the South American countries in 1870. In 1961 the first law was issued to enforce the control of the disease. In 1990 a new regulation was approved which determined the process to eradicate FMD. The last clinical case was on June 18th 1990, and in 1996 the OIE declared Uruguay a free country without vaccination. In 2001 FMD was re-introduced, with an outbreak of 2057 animals which were controlled throughout four months of strong activity which ended with two vaccinations of all livestock. On May 22nd 2003, the OIE recognized Uruguay as a country 'free with vaccination'.