Animal Disease Surveillance and Control: The Indian Perspective

Abstract

Keywords: Animal Disease Surveillance; Diagnosis; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Diseases cause major economic losses through mortality, reduced productivity, lower fertility, condemned products and restricted access to potential markets. Newly emerging diseases including non-contagious animals diseases having potential to cross over from animals to human population or back are being encountered on almost daily basis. This has been time and again proved by emergence of various epidemics like the novel Corona Virus or China virus, Zika virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and swine flu. Approximately 60% of all known pathogens and 75% of emerging pathogens are zoonotic in nature, with about 70% of all emerging zoonotic pathogens being vector-transmitted diseases. Apart from these emerging diseases, diseases like Foot and Mouth Disease, Brucellosis, Tuberculosis continue to pose challenges in today's world. Some of them are classified under Transboundary animal diseases (TADs). The international trade in animal and animal products has become a sensitive issue for both developed and developing countries by posing an important risk for the spread of animal and human pathogens whilst at the same time being an essential activity to ensure worldwide food security and food safety.