Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) (FMDV)

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is a highly infectious, non-enveloped virus with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome, belonging to the Aphthovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family (NCBI Taxonomy ID: 12110). It is the causative agent of foot-and-mouth disease, a severe systemic disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, and sheep, characterized by high fever and vesicles on the mouth and feet (World Organisation for Animal Health). The FMDV genome encodes a single polyprotein that is post-translationally processed by viral proteases, specifically the L-protease and 3C protease, into functional structural and non-structural proteins (UniProt). Therapeutic strategies primarily focus on vaccines; however, research into small-molecule antivirals targets essential viral components like the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (3Dpol) and the 3C protease to inhibit replication (PubMed: 25653431). Drugs such as Ribavirin and Favipiravir have demonstrated the ability to induce lethal mutagenesis in the FMDV genome by targeting the 3Dpol enzyme (Journal of Virology). Despite research into antivirals, vaccination remains the cornerstone of FMDV control, though its efficacy is challenged by the existence of seven distinct serotypes (O, A, C, SAT 1, SAT 2, SAT 3, and Asia 1) (Nature Reviews Microbiology).

Other names

AphthovirusFMD virusFoot and mouth disease virus

Inhibition of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and viral 3C protease