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the European Epidemic Shouldn't Change Your Travel Plans  Font
Size  WebMD Health News  March 23, 2001 -- Your dream trip to
Europe is just around the corner. You've got your passport, your
plane tickets -- and, now, your fears. Recent outbreaks of mad
cow disease and foot-and-mouth disease are forcing farmers in
the U.K. and elsewhere to slaughter thousands upon thousands of
animals, and American travelers to affected countries face the
specter of rigorous questioning and disinfecting upon their
return.  So, should these events affect your travel plans --
and, if so, how much?  First, you should know that although
people can carry foot-and-mouth disease and transmit this highly
contagious disease to certain animals, humans are generally
immune from the condition. Second, foot-and-mouth disease is a
completely separate entity from bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE), otherwise known as "mad cow" disease.  "The danger from
foot-and-mouth disease