Genome variability of foot-and-mouth disease virus during the short period of the 2010 epidemic in Japan.

•Genome dynamics of FMDV over a limited scale of sporadic epidemic was analyzed.•Initial FMDV was suggested to be introduced into Japan via single introduction.•Generation of an extensive mutant virus was prevented by rapid eradication strategy.•VP4 and 2C were highly conserved and VP2 and VP1 were variable in the epidemic.