Scientific and Technical Review

    Aims and scope

    WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review (e-ISSN: 1608-0637) is the Organisation’s peer-reviewed journal. It serves as a global platform for collecting, analysing and disseminating scientific and technical knowledge that influences the global animal health research agenda, in alignment with the WOAH Science System. With its multidisciplinary scope and international reach, the journal supports evidence-based decision-making and fosters collaboration across sectors, reinforcing WOAH’s leadership in advancing animal health within a One Health framework.

    The Scientific and Technical Review welcomes contributions in a variety of formats, including but not limited to original research, reviews, technical notes, policy analyses and field reports, provided they address the topics outlined in its thematic calls for contributions. Articles are published on a rolling basis following a continuous publishing model, and are grouped by thematic issues that reflect current and emerging priorities in animal health. All submissions undergo rigorous peer review to ensure scientific integrity and relevance.

    Indexed in major databases including Scopus, PubMed/Medline, CABI, EBSCO and Web of Science, the Scientific and Technical Review ensures broad visibility and accessibility. In line with WOAH’s commitment to science for all, the journal is published in Open Access and does not apply author processing charges. This enables authors to share high-quality research while ensuring that the resulting knowledge remains accessible to all.

    Latest articles
    Vaccines in action: building more resilient animal health systems through innovation and cooperation

    Vaccination has long been recognised as one of the most effective instruments in the Veterinary Services toolbox for preventing disease, protecting livelihoods and supporting safe and sustainable food production. However, the context in which vaccines operate is changing rapidly. Climate change, geopolitical instability, evolving disease patterns, disruptions to global supply chains, growing antimicrobial resistance and declining public confidence in science are creating new challenges for animal health systems worldwide. 

    The latest issue of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review – Vaccines in action – brings together a collection of articles that reflect these evolving realities. The content of volume 45 illustrates the complexity of vaccination systems, which involve science, policy, economics, behaviour, governance and international cooperation. Ultimately, the issue demonstrates that successful vaccination programmes depend not only on biological efficacy but also on the institutions, infrastructures and relationships that enable vaccines to generate impact.

    Read our latest articles on vaccines and vaccination*

    *Articles are displayed by date of publication.

    Call for contributions

    Call for Contributions [Closed]: Biological Threat Reduction

    Contribute to the forthcoming issue of WOAH’s peer-reviewed journal, the Scientific and Technical Review.

    Biological threat reduction is increasingly central to global health security, animal health governance and sustainable development. In a world shaped by ecological disruption including climate crisis, technological acceleration and geopolitical complexity, biological risks are evolving in speed, scale and character. The Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction, convened by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) in Geneva in 2025, highlighted both the urgency of these risks and the need to move from shared understanding to coordinated implementation.

    As biological threats change and spread in new ways, approaches to risk assessment, surveillance and risk management must also evolve. New tools such as real-time sequencing, metagenomics and AI-supported detection are expanding early warning capabilities, but systems and governance frameworks must keep pace. At the same time, gaps between sectors, uneven regulations and the spread of mis- and disinformation continue to hinder coordinated and effective responses.

    The forthcoming issue of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review will focus on practical priorities that help countries move from discussion to implementation in the field of biological threat reduction. The issue will bring together emerging evidence, practical experiences and forward-looking analysis to support measurable progress in the field. The goal is to ensure that governance, systems and collaboration keep pace with the evolving biological risks.

    Contributors are invited to submit scientific, technical, regulatory, governance or operational analyses that advance practical implementation and strengthen systems for biological threat reduction. Particular attention may be given to:

    • Development of interoperable surveillance and reporting systems across animal, public health and security sectors
    • Alignment and evolution of international biosecurity and laboratory standards
    • Modernisation of laboratory biosafety and dual-use risk governance frameworks
    • Data governance and ethical oversight in genomic and digital surveillance systems
    • Capacity-building models to strengthen Veterinary Services and laboratory networks
    • Decision-making and risk management architectures that translate early warning signals and indicators into timely, coordinated action
    • Cooperation models that demonstrate concrete collaboration between Veterinary Services and security.

    Proposals on topics that are not mentioned above but are related to biological threat reduction will also be considered.

    The last issue of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review on the topic of biological threat reduction was published in 2017.

    When and how should I submit my proposal?

    • Deadline for submissions: Thursday 25 June 2026 (23:59 Paris, France time).
    • Languages accepted: English, French or Spanish.
    • Method of submission: To submit your proposal, please complete all of the necessary fields in this Microsoft Form.

    What happens after I submit my proposal?

    Once you’ve submitted your proposal, it will be evaluated by the issue’s Scientific Editors.

    If your proposal is selected, you will be contacted by the journal’s Coordinating Editors with a brief.

    Note that in general you will be given three months to write your full-length article, from the date you receive the brief from the journal’s Coordinating Editors (this timeline may be subject to change depending on scientific and editorial requirements). The Coordinating Editors will put you in contact with the Scientific Editors if you require guidance during the preparation of your article. The Coordinating Editors manage the production process; this includes single-blind peer review (reviewers are anonymous but author names are known), revision requests, acceptance, copy-editing, translation and publication online.

    Please bear in mind that not all proposals will be selected. There are several reasons why a proposal may not be accepted, and this does not necessarily mean that it was not a good pitch. If you would like feedback on your proposal, please contact the journal’s Coordinating Editors at [email protected]. WOAH reserves the right to refuse to publish an article if it does not meet our publishing standards.

    If my proposal is selected, at what stages of the publishing process will my inputs be requested?

    As the corresponding author of your Scientific and Technical Review article:

    • you are the main point of contact during the entire production process, liaising directly and promptly with the journal’s Coordinating Editors via email.
    • you will receive feedback in the form of revision requests and edits; the journal’s Coordinating Editors will manage this in collaboration with you.
    • you will approve the final version of your article (in its original language) before it is published.
    • you will sign a licensing agreement before your article is published.

    If my proposal is selected, when will my article be published?

    Articles in the Scientific and Technical Review are published monthly and on a rolling basis following a continuous publishing model. The journal’s Coordinating Editors will provide an estimated publishing date to you in due course.

    I have a question about the above instructions. Who should I contact?

    Please email the journal’s Coordinating Editors at [email protected].

    Editorial Board

    WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review is managed by a dedicated editorial, scientific and technical team. The Editorial Board and Editor-in-Chief provide strategic guidance and advise on content to maintain the scientific integrity and relevance of the publication. The Managing Editor oversees the overall coordination of the publication and the launch of each thematic issue. The Scientific Editors are internationally renowned experts responsible for defining the scientific content and focus of each issue; they are responsible for providing guidance during the preparation of your article, greenlighting your article for peer review and accepting your article for publication. The Coordinating Editors coordinate the production process for each thematic issue, ensuring timely publication; they will liaise with the Scientific Editors, the Managing Editor, authors, reviewers, copyeditor(s) and translators.

    Chair of the Editorial Board:
    • Montserrat Arroyo, WOAH HQ
    Editorial Board members:
    • Jean-Luc Angot, France
    • Emmanuel Couacy-Hymann, Côte d’Ivoire
    • Alicia Gallardo, Chile
    • Misheck Mulumba, South Africa
    • Kiyokazu Murai, Japan
    • Fajur Sabah Al Saloom, Bahrain
    • Katharina Staerk, Switzerland
    Previous issues

    Consult the most recent issues of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review on this webpage and all of the previous issues of the journal on the Organisation’s Documentary Portal.

    Antimicrobial resistance: science, standards and stewardship (Vol. 44, 2025)

    Structured around five interconnected themes – understanding antimicrobial resistance (AMR), monitoring and surveillance, interventions, sector-specific challenges and cross-cutting systems issues – volume 44 of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review reflects the complexity of AMR and the urgency of coordinated action. Articles span topics from stewardship and diagnostics to governance and environmental dimensions, with insights from sectors as diverse as livestock, aquaculture, wildlife and companion animals.

    Articles are displayed by date of publication.

    100 years (Special Edition, 2024)

    In this special edition of the Scientific and Technical Review, which commemorates the centenary of the creation of the World Organisation for Animal Health, international experts on different aspects of the Organisation’s mandate provide insights into the history, present and future perspective of such diverse topics as combatting transboundary infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance, animal welfare, the role of wildlife and the importance of aquatic animal health.

    Articles are displayed by date of acceptance.

    Global Burden of Animal Diseases (Vol. 43, 2024)

    Volume 43 of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review explores the global reach and achievements of the Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBADs) programme. As animal diseases continue to affect livelihoods, food systems, trade and the environment, understanding the populations at risk is critical for governments managing infectious disease threats, as well as for private-sector actors supplying animal health technologies, services and livestock products. Effective investment at scale requires a clear picture of both the size of animal populations and the burden of disease they face. By generating this evidence, GBADs supports more targeted, cost-effective and impactful decisions for animal health and broader societal benefit.

    Articles are displayed by date of acceptance.

    Animal health data management (Vol. 42, 2023)

    Volume 42 of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review explores the growing role of data science, risk analysis and modelling in veterinary medicine, showcasing applications that range from population-level studies to microbiological and genomic investigations. Bringing together diverse perspectives across livestock, wildlife and companion animal health, the issue examines how quantitative methods can strengthen scientific understanding and inform policy. Ultimately, the articles demonstrate that robust data and sound quantitative analysis are essential for generating reliable knowledge and supporting effective action.

    Articles are displayed by date of acceptance.

    Safety, regulatory and environmental issues related to international trade of live insects [Vol. 41(1), 2022]

    As insects are increasingly moved across borders for pest control, scientific research, education, and food and feed production, Volume 41(1) of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review explores the opportunities and challenges associated with the safe and responsible trade of insects. Bringing together experts from diverse fields, this collection of articles reviews regulatory frameworks, risk assessment approaches, environmental and ethical considerations, and the role of insects in modern production systems. Ultimately, the issue seeks to stimulate discussion on how international guidance can support innovation while managing risks within a One Health framework.

    Articles are displayed by date of acceptance.

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