[Foot-and-mouth disease: the nature and importance of the disease].

The Federal Republic of Germany is at present free from Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). In many countries of the world, however, FMD is still an enzootic disease. Therefore, countries free from FMD have to be constantly on guard against importing the disease. The plurality of the agent as well as ways of transfer of the disease are described. In particular, clinical signs and pathological injuries are described and illustrated by photographs. Methods of preparing specimens from infected animals for laboratory diagnosis are pointed out.