Transboundary animal diseases Transboundary animal diseases are
highly contagious epidemic diseases that can spread extremely
rapidly, irrespective of national borders. They cause high rates
of death and disease in animals, thereby having serious socio-
economic and sometimes public health consequences while
constituting a constant threat to the livelihoods of livestock
farmers. Globalization, land encroachment and climate change
contribute to outbreaks of such animal diseases – some
transmissible to humans – as brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis,
parasitic illnesses, anthrax, bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) and certain strains of influenza viruses. High-impact
animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, peste des petits
ruminants, classical or African swine fevers, while not directly
affecting human health, do affect food and nutrition security
and livestock production and trade. Animal diseases have
potential to reduce: - quantity and quality of food, such as
meat and milk - livestock products: hide