What are foreign animal diseases and why the potential for such devastation?
Foreign animal diseases (FADs) are non-endemic diseases that could have direct (morbidity, mortality) or indirect (trade restriction) impacts on animal populations. The U.S. has diagnostic capability for approximately 50 different foreign animal diseases. The diseases that cause the most concern are those that are classified as “List A” diseases by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), or in English, International Office of Epizootics, a global animal disease reporting, standard-setting, and reference agency.
