Britain has closed zoos, animal parks and tourist attractions, banned protest marches and political gatherings in some rural communities, and postponed the Crufts dog show and the Cheltenham horse races. Portugal has banned bullfights. Governments in Northern African and Central European have threatened to bar imports of European grain, while almost every country in the world has announced complete bans on British beef and livestock. The cause of this uproar is the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Coming on the heels of the furor over mad cow disease, there is justifiable concern that the world trade order is under siege.

Foot-and-mouth disease, sometimes known as hoof and mouth, poses no threat to human beings and is rarely lethal to animals. It is devastating, nevertheless. Infected livestock produce less milk and have lower meat concentrations. Even when the disease is not fatal, it can leave animals crippled and unable to feed themselves.

The disease is incredibly virulent. It spreads through direct contact with infected animals, but it can also be carried on shoes, cars, even the wind. Usually, when the disease is discovered in a country's livestock -- cows, sheep, pigs and goats are vulnerable -- the rest of the world places a one-year ban on all imports of such animals, or their meat, from that country.