February 1, 2006 (Vol. 26, No. 3)

URL:
http://www.iah.bbsrc.ac.uk/virus/Picornaviridae/Aphthovirus

Rating:
Strong Points: News, molecular information
Weak Points: No useful educational or general info

Summary:
Here’s a site I studied in an effort to learn more about an important disease we frequently hear about, but of which most of us know little. Information is not as extensive as I’d hoped. In the section entitled “The Disease” one can learn that the disease is more accurately called Foot and Mouth disease, than Hoof and Mouth Disease because it does not affect hooves. Big whoop. Sections, such as Aphthovirus Home, presumably about the virus that causes the disease, and Diagnosis, are “under construction.” Parts of the site that were useful include FMD News, covering world news reports of outbreaks, and Similar Diseases, which lead to appropriate Web sites. There are links for sample submission and diagnostic services as well. If one is careful checking out links in Molecular Epidemiology or Nucleotide Sequences, one can learn a bit, but I’m still bummed that I don’t really know much more about the disease than when I first opened the URL.

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