Scientific and Technical Review

    Aims and scope

    WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review (the Review) 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. Indexed in major databases including PubMed/Medline, CABI, EBSCO and Clarivate Analytics Web of Science, the Review ensures broad visibility and accessibility.

    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.

    In line with WOAH’s commitment to science for all, the Review 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.

    With its multidisciplinary scope and international reach, the Review supports evidence-based decision-making and fosters collaboration across sectors, reinforcing WOAH’s leadership in advancing animal health within a One Health framework.

    Calls for contributions are published regularly.

    If you would like to submit a proposal for one of the Review’s thematic issues, please consult the ‘Call for contributions’ tab.

    Articles and issues
    Antimicrobial resistance: science, standards and stewardship

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is now recognised as one of the most urgent global health threats, with wide-reaching consequences for human and animal health, food systems, economies and ecosystems. The current issue of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review revisits AMR more than a decade after its last dedicated issue, offering a timely and comprehensive update on the science, policy and practice shaping the global response.

    Structured around five interconnected themes – understanding AMR, monitoring and surveillance, interventions, sector-specific challenges and cross-cutting systems issues – this issue 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.

    With contributions from global experts and institutions, this issue highlights WOAH’s leadership in setting international standards and supporting Veterinary Services worldwide. It also underscores the importance of integrated One Health approaches, political commitment and sustained investment to preserve antimicrobial efficacy.

    As the world looks toward 2035, this issue serves as both a reflection on progress and a call to action, inviting decision-makers, practitioners and researchers to unite through science, standards and solidarity to confront one of the defining challenges of our time.

    Recent articles on antimicrobial resistance
    Previous issues of the Scientific and Technical Review

    2024, Special Edition 100 years

    2024, Vol. 43 Global Burden of Animal Diseases

    2023, Vol. 42 Animal health data management

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

    2021, Vol. 40 (2) Veterinary Services in a changing world: climate change and other external factors

    2021, Vol. 40 (1) Diagnostic test validation science

    2020, Vol. 39 (3) Plurithematic issue

    2020, Vol. 39 (2) Disaster prevention and preparedness

    2020, Vol. 39 (1) Ensuring safe trade in animals and animal products

    2019, Vol. 38 (3) Plurithematic issue of the Scientific and Technical Review

    2019, Vol. 38 (2) The role of aquatic animal health in food security

    2019, Vol. 38 (1) Successes and remaining challenges within the One Health approach

    2018, Vol. 37 (3) Plurithematic issue

    2018, Vol. 37 (2) Rabies

    2018, Vol. 37 (1) The contribution of animals to human welfare

    2017, Vol. 36 (3) Plurithematic issue

    2017, Vol. 36 (2) Biological threat reduction

    2017, Vol. 36 (1) The economics of animal health

    Consult all of the previous issues of the Scientific and Technical Review for free on WOAH’s Documentary Portal (https://doc.woah.org/dyn/portal/listalo.xhtml?dos=12&page=listalo&req=21).

    Call for contributions
    Call for Contributions / Call Closed
    Contribute to WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review on ‘Vaccines in action: building more resilient animal health systems through innovation and cooperation’.

    Vaccination remains one of the most powerful tools for preventing and controlling terrestrial and aquatic animal diseases, supporting animal welfare, public health and sustainable food systems. In light of the discussions held during the Animal Health Forum on Veterinary Vaccines and Vaccination at WOAH’s 92nd General Session in May 2025, and growing global interest in vaccines as a strategic instrument, this issue of WOAH’s Review will explore new thinking, innovations and lessons learned. The Technical Item, Veterinary Vaccines and Vaccination: From Science to Action, and the Animal Health Forum held during the WOAH’s 2025 General Session, highlighted several priorities: the need for science-based decision-making and reinforcement of vaccine supply chains, the role of vaccination in mitigating antimicrobial resistance, and the value of public–private cooperation. It also identified specific bottlenecks in regulation, production and adoption, and called for global efforts to ensure vaccines are accessible, available and trusted.

    Contributors are invited to share scientific, technical, regulatory, policy, or field-level insights that reflect these orientations and illustrate the evolving role of vaccination in an animal and public health context.

    Contributors may wish to address one or more of the following sub-themes or other topics not covered here:

    Vaccine Research and Development

    • Emerging research gaps and priorities for novel vaccine development
    • The role of emerging technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, big data, platform technologies) in vaccine research and development
    • Innovation in vaccine development, including for neglected or under-recognised diseases including zoonoses
    • Use of target product profiles (TPPs) and their practical application.

    Vaccine Availability and Production

    • Improving the availability of quality vaccines through streamlined regulatory processes and more robust logistics
    • Recent advancements and persistent challenges in vaccine production for aquaculture and other less commonly vaccinated species (minor species, wildlife, etc.)
    • Strengthening vaccine supply systems and production chain resilience (e.g. public–private partnerships [PPPs], regional banks, multi-strain platforms)
    • Analysis of vaccine manufacturing models and governance structures (state-owned, private, PPPs)
    • Vaccines for niche markets and localised or neglected diseases
    • Implications of access to genetic resources and the Nagoya Protocol on vaccine development.

    Regulation and Access

    • The impact of veterinary service structures on vaccine registration
    • Harmonisation and mutual recognition: VICH[1] guidelines, regional frameworks
    • Regulatory challenges and solutions for minor uses and limited markets

    Regulation and Access (cont.)

    • Defining technical requirements for autogenous vaccines
    • Innovation in vaccine procurement including strategies for vaccine prequalification and emergency use.

    Vaccination Strategy and Adoption

    • Decision-making and governance for vaccination programmes
    • Intended and unintended socio-economic impacts of vaccination
    • Considerations for vaccination in emergency settings, including vaccine banks and strategic reserves
    • Experiences from the field: successes, challenges and lessons learned
    • Innovation in post-vaccination monitoring and vaccinovigilance strategies
    • The role of DIVA[2] strategies and diagnostics in supporting vaccination strategies.

    Communication, Trade and Policy

    • Communication, public trust and stakeholder engagement
    • Trade considerations and international cooperation
    • Exploration of logistics and diverse funding models, ranging from government-led campaigns to public–private partnerships.

    Cross-Cutting Issues

    • The role of vaccination in reducing antimicrobial resistance
    • Data management and use of digital tools in vaccination planning and monitoring.

    [1] VICH: International Cooperation on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products

    [2] DIVA: Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals

    How should I submit my proposal?

    We welcome original research, reviews, technical notes, policy analyses and field reports.

    Deadline for submissions: call closed.

    Languages accepted: English, French or Spanish.

    Submission information: send your proposal via email to [email protected] in a Microsoft Word document (.docx) using WOAH’s proposal template; your proposal should include:

    • Title: up to 70 characters with no abbreviations
    • Author details: full names, affiliations, postal addresses, email addresses and ORCID ID of authors
    • Summary, including introduction, critical issue/research question, methodology and conclusion (up to 300 words); authors are also welcome to submit full articles that are already written (max. 4,000 words), provided they align with the themes and focus of this call [if you are submitting a full article, please use WOAH’s full article template]
    • Keywords: max. 5 to 10 in alphabetical order
    • References: up to 10, formatted in Vancouver style.

    When submitting your proposal via email, please use the subject line: ‘WOAH STR – Call for Contributions – Vaccines/Vaccination’.

    What happens after I submit my proposal?

    Once you’ve submitted your proposal, it will be evaluated and reviewed by the scientific editors and technical team.

    If your proposal is selected, or you have been commissioned to write an article, you will be contacted by WOAH’s Publications Unit with a brief. Note that you will have three months to write your full article, from the date you receive the brief. All articles will be peer reviewed.

    WOAH does not apply Author Processing Charges to articles in its Scientific and Technical Review. However, it reserves the right to refuse to publish an article if it does not meet our publishing standards.

    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, you may contact the Publications Unit at [email protected].

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

    For its Scientific and Technical Review, WOAH applies a continuous publishing model. Articles are expected be published in Q1 and Q2 of 2026 on a rolling basis. WOAH’s Publications Unit will provide an estimated publishing date to you in due course.

    All content for the Review is open access, published under a CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/legalcode).

    Editorial Board

    The Editorial Board of WOAH’s Scientific and Technical Review is appointed by and reports to the WOAH Director General. It monitors and fosters the quality and impact of the Scientific and Technical Review by advising on strategic and content-related issues to ensure the scientific relevance and integrity of the Review.

    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
    Instructions

    Calls for contributions are published regularly. If you would like to submit a proposal for one of the Review’s thematic issues, please consult the ‘Call for contributions’ tab.

    Instructions for authors
    Instructions for peer reviewers
    Preprints

    The articles on this page are made available online prior to being published in the Scientific and Technical Review. They have been peer-reviewed but have not yet been formatted for publication. They are listed in the order of acceptance and are presented in their original language of submission.

    Centenary – special edition

    Thematic vol. 43

    Thematic vol. 42

    Thematic vol. 41 (1)

    Scientific and Technical Review

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