WOAH ad hoc Group Report: Risk management practices at domestic-wild animal interface

Transboundary animal diseases (TADs), such as African swine fever (ASF), avian influenza (AI) or foot and mouth disease (FMD) continue to spread worldwide and have detrimental impacts on global animal health, trade and livelihood. In several countries such diseases are endemic, they can spread from wild to domestic animals and vice versa, keeping the infection transmission cycle active and difficult to control due to the complex and multiple factors and risk pathways.

For some diseases, WOAH standards include the possibility of recognition of animal health status in animal subpopulations, differentiated by livestock and wild (e.g. ASF). For some other diseases (e.g. avian influenza, classical swine fever), standards require Members to not impose bans on the international trade of livestock animals in response to the detection of those diseases in wildlife.

The ad hoc Group was convened to peer-review the first draft of the guidelines and provide expert opinions and recommendations on the specific technical content identified by the consultants.