Emergency diseases

Contents | Introduction | Economic impact | Social issues | Environmental issues | Animal welfare issues | Professional and personal issues | References

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Introduction

"Exotic diseases" has been a descriptive term for a collection of diseases that have not been declared endemic to Australia. Such a term, however, is misleading and does not reflect the possibilities that some diseases emerge locally, or the agent is present and does not cause clinical disease, either because the host does not co-exist in its environment, or the agent is not pathogenic. Various attempts at nomenclature have included describing these diseases as "nonendemic". The use of the term"emergency diseases" is a better description as it encompasses both the aetiological possibilities for, and the responses by animal health authorities to these diseases.

Emergency diseases have long been recognised for their importance to the agricultural industries of Australia. This importance is often regarded by the public to relate primarily to the economic impact such a disease would have. This is only part of the story.

The impact of emergency diseases

Emergency diseases were considered solely in the light of economic impacts. However, as we have recently experienced actual disease outbreaks in Australia and been involved in major outbreaks of these diseases overseas (eg the foot and mouth outbreak in the UK in 2001) our attitude has become more global. It is appropriate to consider these impacts as now economic, social, environmental, professional and personal.

Economic impact