Veterinaire volksgezondheid, een discipline in continue evolutie

Abstract

Veterinary public health, a discipline in transition. Veterinary public health, a discipline in which veterinarians help control zoonotic animal diseases, has clearly contributed in improving human health. Since the early 19th century, traditional meat inspections have ensured that in many European countries, including Belgium, almost all animals slaughtered are declared fit for human consumption. Nevertheless, in recent decades, all industrialized countries have been confronted with an increasing number of foodborne infections caused by zoonotic bacteria. Until the end of the 20th century, the focus was mainly on detecting macroscopically visible abnormalities on animal carcasses and in food of animal origin. However, in farm animals, these microorganisms do not cause disease or macroscopic injuries, nor lead to reduced production parameters. The traditional veterinary inspection is therefore no longer sufficient to guarantee public health, and will, under the impulse of the European Commission, be transformed into a risk-based inspection in the near future. Furthermore, due to worldwide trading, movement of people, changed production processes and environmental degradation, a multidisciplinary approach with a renewed collaboration between animal and human medicine will, as in the past, be necessary to face these new challenges.