Foot-and-mouth disease: the Army sanitizes trucks at the border with Slovenia

The Italian Army is actively engaged in containing the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, a dangerous and highly contagious viral disease that has affected ungulates in various areas of Eastern Europe. Following the identification of recent outbreaks in Hungary and Slovakia, Italian authorities have activated a series of extraordinary measures to prevent the virus from entering the national territory.

Under the directive of the Ministry of Defense, the Army's disinfection units, coordinated by the Comando Forze Operative Nord in Padua, have been operational for two days at the international border crossings with Slovenia, particularly at Sant’Andrea (Gorizia) and Fernetti (Monrupino). Here, sanitization and control operations on trucks transporting sheep and pigs entering Italy are being carried out.

Continuous presence at the crossings

The activities are conducted 24 hours a day, with a constant presence of military personnel, who operate using specialized vehicles and dedicated equipment. The interventions are part of a plan defined according to the protocols of the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with health and veterinary authorities, as well as customs services.

The primary objective is to interrupt any possibility of virus transmission through animal transport, considered one of the main vectors. Each vehicle is identified, checked, and sanitized before entering the national territory.

A concrete threat to Italy

The activation of extraordinary measures is part of an increasingly critical European context. After a first outbreak confirmed in Germany last January, Hungary also reported new cases of foot-and-mouth disease in March. In particular, the IZS Lombardia and Emilia Romagna announced an outbreak identified near Győr, close to the Slovak border, in a dairy cow farm. The infected cattle show typical symptoms of the disease, and the presence of the virus has been confirmed by local laboratories.

Already in January, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) reported an outbreak in a buffalo farm in the Land of Brandenburg, the first case in Germany since 1988 and the first in Europe since 2011 (the year the last outbreak was recorded in Bulgaria).

Foot-and-mouth disease affects cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and other ungulates, both domestic and wild, causing painful vesicles in the oral cavity, on the feet, and on the udder, with severe damage to animal health and significant economic and productive repercussions. Although it does not pose a direct threat to humans, its high contagiousness requires strict containment measures.

The role of the Army in a delicate European context

The Army's intervention is part of a broader strategy of biosecurity and prevention, implemented in synergy with border veterinary services, civil protection, and health institutions. The controls at the crossings represent the first line of defense to prevent the virus from entering the Italian agri-food chain, protecting a sector already severely tested by other health emergencies and market instabilities.

The rapid activation of the disinfection units by the Comando Forze Operative Nord demonstrates the operational readiness of the Armed Forces, capable of intervening in complex scenarios even outside the strictly military sphere.

A situation to be closely monitored

With eleven confirmed outbreaks in Europe within a few months – one in Germany, four in Hungary, and six in Slovenia – the situation requires intense monitoring and close international collaboration among the health authorities of the European Union countries. Italy, due to its strategic geographical position and the significant volume of livestock trade, has already activated enhanced controls to prevent the virus from entering its territory.

The livestock sector, considered particularly exposed, would risk serious consequences in the event of further spread of the virus, with significant impacts on production, exports, and the entire balance of the agricultural economy at the European level.