Veterinary Epidemiology and Zoonosis

REPORTING OF ANIMAL DISEASES

• Any significant epidemiological event should be reported within 24 hours of the occurrence.
• Thereafter, they must provide progress reports on a weekly basis until such time as the situation becomes stable or the disease concerned has been eradicated.
• The sending of weekly reports should stop once a dis­ease has become enzootic.
• The form can also be used to report the lifting of sanitary measures when it is considered that all the recorded out­breaks have been eliminated.

Reporting of animal diseases

• Every member state reports on animal diseases diagnosed on their own territory.
• The OIE makes sure that the relevant information is passed on to other countries, so that they can take preventive action.
• Since the beginning of 2006, the OIE has been operating a global electronic reporting system for animal diseases - the World Animal Health Information System WAHIS.
• All member states are under an obligation to enter immediate, semi-annual and annual reports of animal diseases in this system.
  • Since 2006, the OIE has been in the process of establishing the internet-based Global Early Warning and Response System (GLEWS) for zoonooses (diseases transmissible from animals to humans) together with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Food Organisation (FAO).
  • This is designed to make up for the weaknesses of previous early warning systems .