Transboundary Animal Diseases

The present globalization process is generating deep changes and a great dynamism in animal health and food safety systems throughout the world and at regional level. The commercial interchange of animals and animal products and the expansion of tourism, increase the vulnerability of the countries in face of the potential introduction of pathogenic agents that may affect animal health, with serious economic, social and commercial consequences.

FAO defines Transboundary Animal Diseases (TAD) as those that have a significant economic, commercial and/or food security importance for a group of countries; which can easily spread to other countries and reach epidemic proportions; requiring for its control and exclusion, co-operation between countries.

FAO in its fight against TADs created the Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES). Important in the livestock sector is the work carried out for the eradication of Rinderpest throughout the world, with a later approach into other TADs which represent a serious sanitary and economic burden for the countries and regions facing them.

The worldwide sanitary emergency caused by the current epizootics of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 (Asiatic variety) originated in Asia at the end of 2003, brought about the creation of a new modality for a more coordinated work, through the Global Framework for the progressive control of Transboundary Diseases (GF-TADs) a joint FAO and OIE initiative endorsed in 2004, favoring alliances between countries and regions, as well as with other agencies linked to animal and human health for the fight against TADs.

The GF-TADs started in the American Continent in 2005, and through regional consultations stated six (6) priority TADs for the region, as follows: Foot and Mouth Disease, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Classical Swine Fever, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, Screwworm in Livestock and Rabbis.

Work Priorities
	Rabies