Curr Top Microbiol
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New and emerging infectious diseases affect humans, domestic animals, livestock and wildlife and can have a significant impact on health, trade and biodiversity. Of the emerging infectious diseases of humans, 75% are zoonotic, with wildlife being an increasingly important source of inter-species transmission. Recent animal health emergencies have highlighted the vulnerability of the livestock sector to the impact of infectious diseases and the associated risks to human health. ⋯ National animal disease emergencies, especially those that spill over to affect human health, require a whole-of-government approach for effective disease containment. As it is highly likely that zoonoses and animal diseases with the potential to affect human health will continue to emerge, surveillance and response systems for emerging zoonotic diseases will need to be strengthened and maintained at national and international levels. Applied research, linked across the human, livestock and wildlife sectors, is needed to inform preparedness planning and the development of evidence-based approaches to zoonotic disease prevention and control.
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Complex interactions involving humans, domestic animals, and wildlife create environments favorable to the emergence of new diseases. Today, reservoirs of Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent of tuberculosis in animals and a serious zoonosis, exist in wildlife. ⋯ It will not be possible to eradicate M. bovis from livestock until transmission between wildlife and domestic animals is halted. Such an endeavor will require a collaborative effort between agricultural, wildlife, environmental and political interests.