Diagnostic and management challenges of animal diseases in global context

Abstract

Animal diseases impose a significant burden on global health, food security, and  economies. More than 25% of livestock are lost to disease annually worldwide. This review  provides an overview of the challenges in rapidly diagnosing and effectively managing  animal diseases. Key obstacles to rapid diagnosis include shortages of trained veterinary  personnel, inadequate infrastructure (limited laboratory networks and equipment), poor  access to advanced technologies, biosecurity lapses, high costs, and regulatory hurdles  that impede deployment of new diagnostics. Available point-of-care diagnostic tools  for major diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, brucellosis, canine parvovirus, and  avian influenza and their limitations in field use (e.g. sensitivity, specificity, and usability  constraints) were discussed. Disease management bottlenecks, from vaccine logistics  and treatment access in resource-limited areas to weaknesses in surveillance, reporting,  and outbreak containment, are discussed. A comparative analysis highlights how India’s  vast animal population and veterinary infrastructure challenges resemble those in many  developing countries. Adopting a One Health perspective require animal disease control  ties into zoonotic spillover prevention, intersectoral coordination and strengthened global  surveillance. Emerging digital tools and artificial intelligence play important role for early  disease detection and forecasting. For effective disease diagnosis and control, policy,  economic, and educational reforms including greater investment in veterinary services,  workforce development, and research are needed to build resilient veterinary systems.