First Report 0n World’s Animal Health

In May 2025, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) released the world’s first comprehensive report on the state of animal health.

• This landmark report provides the global challenges, trends, and risks facing animal populations, with major implications for food security, public health, trade, and ecosystems.
• The report is a response to the increasing complexity of animal disease dynamics in a rapidly changing world.

• Changing Disease Patterns and Spread: Infectious animal diseases are expanding into new geographical regions and affecting previously unaffected species, driven by climate change and increased global trade.

• • Nearly 47% of these diseases have zoonotic potential—meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans—posing direct risks to public health.

• Rising Intensity and Frequency of Outbreaks: Diseases such as avian influenza (bird flu), African swine fever, and foot-and-mouth disease are increasing in both frequency and intensity, disrupting agriculture, food systems, and biodiversity.

• • In 2024, avian influenza outbreaks in mammals more than doubled compared to 2023 (1,022 outbreaks in 55 countries vs. 459 in 2023), raising concerns about the virus adapting for mammal-to-mammal or even human transmission.

• Emergence in New Regions: Diseases traditionally confined to certain areas are now appearing elsewhere:

• • For example, the Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), once limited to developing countries, has re-emerged in Europe.
  • African swine fever reached Sri Lanka, traveling over 1,800 km from the nearest previous outbreaks.

• Food Security and Economic Risks: Animal disease outbreaks threaten global food security and trade, with the potential for significant economic losses and impacts on livelihoods, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

• • For example, Bird flu has led to the culling or loss of over 630 million birds in the last two decades.

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): By 2050, AMR could jeopardize the food security of 2 billion people and result in a projected US$100 trillion economic loss if not urgently addressed.

• • Antibiotic use in animals fell by 5% globally between 2020 and 2022, with Europe and Africa showing the largest declines.
  • However, one in five countries still use antimicrobials as growth promoters, a practice discouraged by WOAH.
     

• Uneven Vaccine Access and Disease Prevention: Vaccination is highlighted as a key tool for disease prevention, reducing economic losses and the need for antibiotics, but global access must be improved.

• • WOAH’s vaccine banks have delivered nearly 30 million dog rabies vaccines in Africa and Asia, but progress in rabies control has recently stalled.

What is special about this 2025 WOAH Report?

• For the first time, the report provides a granular analysis of antimicrobial use in aquaculture compared to terrestrial food-producing animals.

• • Findings indicate that Fluoroquinolones (a class of antibiotics used in aquaculture) accounted for 15.8% in aquaculture.

• 64% of the global aquatic biomass is now covered in the AMU dataset, improving the precision.

What are the Economic impacts of antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals?

• By 2050, AMR could cause massive losses in livestock production, reducing the global supply of meat and dairy.

• • The estimated loss is so large that it could equal the food consumption needs of up to 2 billion people per year (up to US$ 5.2 trillion).
  • The impact will be severe in cattle and poultry farming, where antibiotic use is high.
  • Farms may struggle to keep animals healthy, leading to lower meat and dairy output and higher food prices.

• This loss would slow economic growth, increase food insecurity and strain healthcare systems.

What are the recommendations given by the WOAH Report?

• Vaccination Is Vital: Even distribution of the vaccines has helped eradicate some deadly diseases (like rinderpest) and is crucial for fighting others like rabies, foot and mouth disease, and avian flu.

• • Using vaccines means less need for antibiotics, which helps slow down antimicrobial resistance (AMR)—a growing global threat.

• Data and Surveillance: Good data is crucial for tracking diseases and responding quickly. WOAH collects and shares official data on animal diseases, which can help the countries to prepare and react to outbreaks.