Researchers with the Federal Government have announced that they have been able to single out the leading cause of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease, which happens to contaminate cattle. Apparently, they have been able to discover the virus responsible for the condition.

The recent and exciting discovery has already been reported in the November edition of the journal Veterinary Pathology. The research was conducted by a team of experts at the Plum Island Research Center of the Agriculture department, who happen to belong to the Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit.

Though, the United States itself has not witnessed a case of the disease since the year 1929. However, the condition continues to crop up in other parts of the world, even after remaining unreported for a matter of decades.

Previous researches have been able to create a vaccine for the cure of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease. But, the problem is that the injection only happens to provide a temporary immunity and is not always 100% effective.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, the disease can only be controlled by blocking the site, where infection first took place. The blockage helps in controlling the spread of the virus.

Apart from the FADRU, the Animal Research Service also pitched in to help with the research.