Highly Contagious

Foot-and-Mouth Disease, 2001 Where: U.K. Damage: $13 billion

British officials authorized the slaughter of 750,000 cloven-hooved animals. The crisis has crippled more than the farm industry: Tourism alone has taken a $200-million-a-week hit with the postponement of events such as horseracing's Cheltenham Festival.

Mad Cow Disease, 1996 Where: U.K. Damage: $6 billion

Fourteen countries banned British beef, and McDonald's pulled products from its menu for 15 months, which cost the cattle industry more than $36 million.

Foot-and-Mouth, 1997 Where: Taiwan Damage: $1.3 billion

Taiwan slaughtered 3.6 million pigs in an attempt to eradicate the disease.

At least 50,000 jobs in agriculture and related industries were

lost because of the outbreak. Taiwan is still not free of foot-and-mouth.

Dioxin, 1999 Where: Belgium Damage: $767 million

The discovery of dioxin-tainted animal feed caused a worldwide ban

on Belgian beef, pork, chicken and dairy products. The controversy

prompted the country's Public Health and Agriculture ministers to resign.

Alar, 1989 Where: United States Damage: $100 million

Television's 60 Minutes helped turn Alar into a household name when it claimed that the pesticide caused cancer. Apple sales plummeted and a group of Washington apple growers sued CBS News. The case was dismissed on lack of evidence.

Poultry Virus, 1997 Where: Hong Kong Damage: $39 million

After an avian flu that claimed six lives, officials slaughtered 1.3 million poultry, and Cathay Pacific Airways stopped serving chicken on flights from Hong Kong. The virus was thought to have originated with Chinese chicken farms.

Salmonella in Eggs, 1988 Where: U.K. Damage: $35 million

Britain's junior Health Minister Edwina Currie ignited a national panic by proclaiming that most eggs were infected with salmonella. The government tried to defuse the situation with a $900,000 egg-awareness ad campaign.

E.Coli, 2000 Where: Canada Damage: $22 million (including $14 million in claims and legal fees)

Seven residents died in Walkerton, Ont., reportedly after manure from factory farms seeped into the ground water.