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

Foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A (FMDV-A) is a highly contagious pathogen belonging to the Aphthovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family [1, 8]. It is one of the seven major serotypes responsible for foot-and-mouth disease, a severe vesicular condition affecting cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, pigs, and sheep [4, 12]. The virus consists of a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome enclosed in a non-enveloped icosahedral capsid [8, 13]. FMDV-A initiates infection by binding to host cell integrin receptors via a conserved Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif on its VP1 capsid protein [2, 14]. Once inside the host cell, the viral genome is translated into a single polyprotein that is subsequently cleaved by viral proteases, including the 3C protease, into functional structural and non-structural proteins [8, 16]. Therapeutic interventions primarily involve the use of inactivated virus vaccines, which are often serotype-specific due to the high rate of antigenic variation [5, 15]. Experimental antiviral drugs, such as ribavirin and specific protease inhibitors, are also being investigated to target viral replication and processing [11, 16]. Control of FMDV-A is critical for the livestock industry due to its rapid transmission and the significant economic impact of outbreaks [10, 20].

Other names

FMDV serotype AAphthovirus AVallée A

Inhibition of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (3Dpol), inhibition of viral 3C protease, and neutralization of viral capsid proteins to prevent host cell entry.