Surveillance and risk assessment for early detection of emerging infectious diseases in livestock

17/11/2022

J.A. Drewe, E.L. Snary, M. Crotta, P. Alarcon & J. Guitian

Surveillance and prevention of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) faces a challenge in accurately predicting where infection will occur and who (or what) it will affect. The establishment of surveillance and control programmes for EIDs require a substantial and long-term commitment of resources which are limited in nature. This contrasts with the unquantifiable number of possible zoonotic and non-zoonotic infectious diseases that may emerge, even when the focus is restricted to diseases involving livestock. Such diseases may emerge from many combinations of, and changes in, host species, production systems, environments/habitats and pathogen types. Given these multiple possible elements, risk prioritisation frameworks to support decision-making and resource allocation for surveillance should be used more widely. In this paper, we use examples of recent EID events in livestock to review surveillance approaches for early detection of EIDs and highlight the need for surveillance programmes to be informed and prioritised by risk assessment frameworks that are regularly updated. We conclude by discussing some unmet needs in risk assessment practices for EIDs, and the need for improved coordination initiatives in global infectious disease surveillance.

More informations

Issue number
2
Volume
41