E-Insight

March 2005

Colorado State University Professor Helps Lead Group Examining Worldwide Risks of Animal Diseases

A new study released by an international task force, "Global Risks of Infectious Animal Diseases," discusses the severe economic, social and political impacts of disease outbreaks and outlines national and international monitoring, surveillance and response practices. Colorado State University Professor Mo Salman is co-chair of the task force that released the study.

The comprehensive study, issued by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, was written and evaluated by a task force of 13 authors and four reviewers from France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. The paper brings together the expertise and experience of scientists and researchers on the front lines of this growing worldwide concern.

"Animal diseases will continue to affect food supplies, trade and commerce, and human health and well-being in every part of the world," said Dr. Salman, director of Colorado State's Animal Population Health Institute. "Recent outbreaks of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, West Nile virus, foot-and-mouth disease in swine, and avian influenza have made headlines and are of concern not only for significant economic costs but for the potential to cross over to humans."

Specific topics addressed in the paper include:
- Background of the global threat of infectious diseases.
- Patterns for animal diseases and their control programs.
- Factors affecting the emergence or spread of livestock diseases.
- Impact of animal diseases on human health.
- National and international economic impacts of animal diseases.
- National and international impacts of animal diseases at the industry level.
- National and international impacts of animal diseases on social and political issues.
- National and international monitoring, surveillance and response.
- Conclusions and recommendations.

The full text of the paper, "Global Risks of Infectious Animal Diseases" (Issue Paper No. 28) may be accessed on the CAST Web site at www.cast-science.org and is available in hardcopy for $5, which includes shipping, by contacting the CAST office at (515) 292-2125.

CAST is an international consortium of 36 scientific and professional societies. It assembles, interprets and communicates credible science-based information regionally, nationally and internationally on food, fiber, agricultural, natural resource and related societal and environmental issues to legislators, regulators, policymakers, the media, the private sector and the public.