Animal diseases
Like humans, animals can also contract diseases. Non-zoonotic animal diseases are infectious diseases that only affect animals. Farm animals, pets and wild animals can be affected in equal measure. Infectious diseases transmissible to humans (zoonoses) are not included in this definition.
Epidemics can also occur in animals, such as African swine fever. There are limited consequences of these diseases for humans. However, they can have serious repercussions on farms, lead to animal suffering, cause temporary unavailability of certain products and damage Belgium's reputation, for example when trade restrictions are put in place.
What can you do?
BEFORE
- Ask your vet how to protect your animals against disease.
- Find out more about animal diseases in Belgium and how to protect your animals on the website of the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC)
- Vaccinate your livestock to protect them against certain diseases. Vaccination is mandatory for certain diseases, such as bluetongue in sheep and cattle. More information on the website of the FPS Public Health.
DURING
- Respect the measures taken by the authorities to avoid new infections in animals.
- Certain diseases must be reported to the FASFC. These are notifiable diseases. This allows the FASFC to monitor the situation and take control- and preventive measures. There are two types of notifiable diseases:
- The diseases you declare in the Belgian epidemiological context. Consult the list on the website of the FPS Public Health.
- The diseases you declare under European legislation. Consult the list on the website of the FPS Public Health.
- Find out on the website of the FASFC how to notify of these diseases
- Is your pet showing symptoms of disease? Always consult your vet. He or she will examine your pet, take the necessary samples for analysis and inform the local FASFC control unit.
AFTER
- Follow the recommendations of the authorities and of your vet.
Impact and probability
The figures relating to probability and impact describe an animal disease of an extreme magnitude. The BNRA theoretically describes such a scenario as follows:
- It is a highly transmissible or contagious disease.
- The disease has a high mortality rate, can affect all animals, and there are few or no drugs or regulatory measures available.
How should you interpret these results?
Within the BNRA, experts assessed three scenarios for each risk: considerable, major or extreme. On each page, you will find the results of the scenario with the highest score based on the combination of likelihood and impact. This does not mean that this scenario will occur or is the most likely. Read more here about how to correctly interpret the results.
Probability
Moderate
Human impact
Weak
Societal impact
Weak
Environmental impact
Very weak
Financial impact
Very weak
What do the authorities do?
Legislation and policy on controlling animal disease are largely harmonised across the European Union. Certain precautionary and control measures are laid down for many diseases, which Member States must or may take to prevent and combat them.
In Belgium, the DG Animals, Plants and Food of the FPS Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment is responsible for establishing the legal framework for the surveillance and control of animal diseases. This service also manages the 'Fonds Sanitaire', a solidarity fund for farmers who have to slaughter their animals on account of a notifiable disease. This service can also launch specific actions in the general interest of the livestock sector.
The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) is responsible for animal health in Belgium. It tackles various animal diseases and takes preventive measures to avoid them spreading, such as compulsory notification or sanitary requirements when animals are sold on the market. The FASFC also checks on the ground whether legislation is complied with by farms, slaughterhouses and importers.
In serious situations, where there is a risk of an outbreak or re-emergence of a contagious animal disease, the Minister of Agriculture may take emergency measures, such as compulsory vaccination of livestock or pets. In the event of an epidemic, the FASFC works with a mayor, governor or the National Crisis Center to manage the incident.