Context:
Animal health body says vaccines needed to protect humans and trade
State of the World’s Animal Health Report (2025):
- Released by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
- 1st-ever global assessment of animal health trends, risks, and threats.
- Highlights the impact of zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and climate change on animal health.
Key Findings:
- Zoonotic Disease Risk – 47% of reported animal diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can infect humans.
- Cross-species transmission is increasing, especially in avian influenza outbreaks.
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) – AMR could impact 2 billion people and cause economic losses of USD 100 trillion by 2050 if not addressed.
- 15.8% of antimicrobials used in aquaculture are fluoroquinolones, a class critical for human medicine.
- Climate Change & Disease Spread – Global warming alters ecosystems, enabling pathogens to spread into new regions.
- Wildlife interactions and global trade amplify disease transmission risks.
Major Animal Diseases Highlighted:
| Disease | Cause | Impact |
| Avian Influenza | Influenza virus | Affects birds & mammals, outbreaks doubled |
| African Swine Fever (ASF) | ASF virus | High mortality in pigs, spread to Sri Lanka |
| Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) | Aphthovirus | Affects cattle, sheep, goats, new serotypes emerging |
| Lumpy Skin Disease | Poxvirus | Causes fever, skin nodules in cattle |
| Nipah Virus | Paramyxovirus | Zoonotic, affects humans & animals |
WOAH’s Recommendations:
- Global vaccine equity to prevent disease outbreaks.
- Stronger surveillance & biosecurity measures to control transboundary diseases.
- Responsible antibiotic use to combat AMR
Source: The Print
Previous Year Question
Among the following which were frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of Ebola virus recently?
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) Syria and Jordan
(b) Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia
(c) Philippines and Papua New Guinea
(d) Jamaica, Haiti and Surinam
Answer: (b)