#18,732
WOAH (the World Organization for Animals) released a 124-page PDF described as their `inaugural global overview of animal health' on Friday, May 23rd, which finds several animal diseases encroaching on new areas, with about half of them possessing some zoonotic potential.
While there are some `human' pathogens that don't appear to affect other species (smallpox being an example), many of the infectious diseases that affect humans originated in other species, and then spilled over into humans.
Tuberculosis probably jumped to humans when we began to domesticate goats and cattle around 5000 years ago. Measles appears to have evolved from canine distemper and/or the Rinderpest virus of cattle. And Influenza, which is native to aquatic birds, became much more of a threat after humans domesticated ducks, geese, and chickens.
The list of zoonotic diseases is long and continues to expand, and includes such well known infections as SARS, MERS, SARS-CoV-2, Babesiosis, Borrelia (Lyme), Nipah, Hendra, Malaria, Dengue, Zika, Hantavirus, Monkeypox, Ebola, Bartonella, Leptospirosis, Q-Fever, multiple flavors of avian flu and many, many others.
In 2019 the CDC released a list of 56 zoonotic diseases of greatest concern for the United States (see chart below), with zoonotic (avian/swine/canine) influenza, emerging coronaviruses (e.g., SARS and MERS), Hantaviruses, Lassa Fever, Marburg/Ebola, and Monkeypox featured prominently.
Not every animal disease of concern directly infects humans, as we've seen the substantial impacts of FMD, Classical Swine Fever and African Swine Fever, on local economies and food insecurity around the globe.
As humans continue to encroach into previously uninhabited regions, and the trade and transport of animals increases around the globe, diseases that were once rare are now afforded new opportunities to expand their horizons.
While not all-encompassing, the table of contents from the WOAH report provides a glimpse of its scope.
From their press release:
First report on world’s animal health reveals changing spread of disease impacting food security, trade and ecosystems
Published on 23 May 2025
Inaugural State of the World’s Animal Health report finds several animal diseases reaching new areas, with half of those reported able to jump to people.
Key findings:
- Animal diseases are migrating into previously unaffected areas, half (47%) of which have zoonotic – or animal-to-human – potential.
- Outbreaks of bird flu in mammals more than doubled last year compared to 2023, increasing the risk of further spread and human transmission. Access to livestock vaccines remains uneven around the world, with disease eradication efforts facing funding and political challenges.
- Antibiotic use in animals fell by 5% between 2020 and 2022 and expanding livestock vaccination globally would reduce the risk of antibiotic resistance.
23 May, PARIS – Infectious animal diseases are affecting new areas and species, undermining global food security, human health and biodiversity, according to the first State of the World’s Animal Health report.
The new annual assessment, published by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), provides the first comprehensive review of animal disease trends, risks and challenges, from the uptake and availability of vaccines to the use of antibiotics in animals. Released ahead of WOAH’s 92nd General Session and its Animal Health Forum – where leading experts will gather to discuss vaccination and innovation in disease prevention – the report sets the stage for high-level discussions on how science-based vaccination strategies and emerging technologies can help address current and future animal health threats through a One Health approach.
Among its findings, the report revealed the reported number of avian influenza outbreaks in mammals more than doubled last year compared to 2023 with 1,022 outbreaks across 55 countries compared to 459 outbreaks in 2023.
The authors highlighted that, while the risk of human infection remains low, the more mammalian species such as cattle, cats or dogs infected, the greater the possibility of the virus adapting to mammal-to-mammal, and potentially human, transmission.“The spread, prevalence and impact of infectious animal diseases is changing, bringing new challenges for agriculture and food security, human health and development, and natural ecosystems,” said Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran, Director General of WOAH.
