A One Health Approach to Reducing Livestock Disease Prevalence in Developing Countries: Advances, Challenges, and Prospects
Jennifer K. Lane, T. Ross Kelly, Brian H. Bird, Erika Chenais, Annette Roug, Gema Vidal, Rodrigo A. Gallardo, Huaijun Zhou, Grace VanHoy, Woutrina Smith
Abstract
Challenges in livestock production in developing countries are often linked to a high disease prevalence and may be related to poor husbandry, feeding, and nutrition practices, as well as to inadequate access to preventive veterinary care. Structural barriers including chronic poverty, gender roles, inadequate supply chains, and limitations in surveillance infrastructure further complicate progress. Despite many challenges, the livestock sector substantially contributes to agricultural GDP, and reducing livestock disease prevalence is a goal for many countries. One Health initiatives that work across disciplines and sectors to reduce livestock diseases are underway around the world and use integrated approaches that consider the connections between humans, animals, and their shared environments. The growing recognition of the role livestock play in sustainability and livelihoods, as well as their involvement in zoonotic disease transmission and global health security, has highlighted the need for disease reduction strategies as described in this review.