Initiation of Global Burden of Animal Diseases Programme

Abstract

A consistent and comparable description of animal diseases, the risk factors associated with them, and the effectiveness of intervention strategies to mitigate these diseases are important for decision making and planning. The economic impact of a pathogen or animal disease is a function of disease frequency, infection intensity, the effect of the disease on mortality and productivity in animals and its effects on human health, and efforts to respond to the disease. 1 Rushton J The economics of animal health and production. CABI, Wallingford2009 Google Scholar All of these factors can vary over time between species and the contexts in which people and animals live, and need to be measured to understand the patterns of impact at local, national, and global levels. Animal health has major impacts on human health directly through zoonotic disease transmission, or indirectly through nutritional availability and environmental management. 2 Rushton J Uggla A Magnusson U Animal health in development—its role for poverty reduction and human welfare. Expert Group for Aid Studies/Expertgruppen för biståndsanalys, Stockholm2017 Google Scholar , 3 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsThe state of food and agriculture: livestock in the balance. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome2009 Google Scholar