Bolstering Southeast Asia's Livestock Biosecurity and Climate Change Resilience Essential for Global Health

• Main Author: Kunzler, Madelyn
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: DigitalCommons@USU 2021
• Subjects: climate change; zoonotic disease; livestock biosecurity; Southeast Asia; Animal Sciences; Dairy Science; Life Sciences; Veterinary Medicine; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/researchweek/ResearchWeek2021/All2021/151; https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/context/researchweek/article/2542/viewcontent/21312_Bolstering_20Southeast_20Asias_20Livestock_20Biosecurity_20and_20Climate_20Change_20Resilience_20Essential_20for_20Global_20Healt.pdf

A large factor of climate change is its effect on infectious zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are diseases that can be transferred from animals into humans. Cases of zoonotic diseases have increased as humans have interacted more with animals, and as worldwide travel has become more frequent. It is predicted that 60% of emerging human diseases will be zoonotic. The cases will continue to increase to due climate change. As climate change continues, research has shown that new diseases will emerge from the melting permafrost and ice caps. It is also likely that pre-existing diseases will be able to migrate to new areas with susceptible populations. In areas where the climate is getting hotter, it is feasible that diseases will mutate and adapt at a faster rate. An area of concern is the Southeast Asia region. This part of the world has many neglected zoonotic diseases that are typically only found in underdeveloped, low-income countries. These diseases have the potential to migrate and infect more humans as climate change changes the ecosystem and pushed these animals into closer contact with humans other potential animal hosts. To combat this potential threat, it is important to have proper biosecurity practices in place for livestock production in these areas. Biosecurity resilience can be introduced in the animals by selective breeding and vaccines, the producers by education, and veterinarians and diagnostic labs by having proper facilities and knowledge of where to report any animal outbreaks. Governmental and cultural traditions could potentially be opposed to some of these practices. Presentation Time: Wednesday, 1-2 p.m.