Originally from: Bill
                        
We will never know the source but wat can be proved by the exhumation of buried animals is FMD was around a long time before February 2001. Virions survive for many years in bone so all that is needed is a proper enquiry with full powers to go
a digging.
MAFF were looking for FMD for a long time but as I said positive results from blood can be difficult to obtain. Obviously Paul Kitching will say differently but I have given you details of how the tests are done so you can make up your own mind on that one.