Since the majority of emerging infectious diseases over the past several decades have been zoonotic, animal health surveillance is now recognized as a key element in predicting public health risks. Surveillance of animal populations can provide important early warnings of emerging threats to human populations from bioterrorism or naturally occurring infectious disease epidemics. This study investigated current animal data collection and surveillance systems, isolated major gaps in state and national surveillance capabilities, and provided recommendations to fill those gaps.
Objective
To identify gaps in current U.S. animal data collection and surveillance systems, describe how surveillance of animal populations can provide important early warnings of emerging threats to human populations from infectious disease epidemics, and explain the benefits of integrating human and animal surveillance data into a common linked system.