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Radioscopy of the surveillance of infectious animal diseases in Belgium (part I): Analysis of specific aspects of surveillance activities and recommendations

Abstract:

The epidemiological surveillance activities concerning animal health are generally based on a variable organization and on systems of different nature. At the European level, some strong signals have been given to reinforce and harmonize the surveillance activities. The objective of this study is to analyse the vertical (specific animal diseases surveillance) and horizontal (structural and organizational) aspects of surveillance activities in Belgium concerning infectious animal and zoonotic diseases in animals, in order to, after analysis of the differences between what exists and what is necessary, identify needs and delivery improvement recommendations. In this first part, the vertical aspects, i.e. the specific surveillance of the animal diseases, have been analyzed. For this, an extended inventory of the Belgian epidemiological surveillance activities of animal and zoonotic diseases present in animals was carried out per animal species. The comparison of this inventory with national and international recommendations allowed identifying needs or gaps and giving new recommendations. In the second part of this study (Part II), the organizational and structural aspects (i.e. horizontal aspects) of the Belgian surveillance of animal health will be described, critical analyzed, and recommendations will be formulated.