KOUBA V.
Abstract
Rapidly increasing trade in animals and animal products conduced to increasing
number of cases of infections introduction into developing countries. Negative
animal and human health, economic, ecological, social and psychological consequences
were relatively often catastrophic and irreparable. Basic causes were represented
by not respecting: characteristics of infections such as complexity of their
processes, dynamics, subclinical forms (pathogen-carriers), insidiousness, etc.;
pathogens specificity, diversity, variability, ability to reproduce and propagate
(horizontally and vertically, i.e. to next generations), transmissibility to
more species (including wildlife), ability to attack humans, surviving in the
environment, etc. Among other causes belonged: gaps in knowledge of true animal
infections situation, deficiencies in diseases reporting, lack of or deficiencies
in laboratory and epizootiological investigations of animals and animal products,
underestimating infections "import" risks, sanitary attests not confirming
pathogen-free-status of exporting commodities or not corresponding with the
reality, imperfect health guarantee, missing reclamation systems, weakness of
government services (in terms of professional manpower, equipment, laboratory
capacities, funds, etc.), gaps in national legislation systems, irresponsible
human behaviour, etc. Conscious man-made spreading of dangerous infections,
particularly transmissible to man, represents one of international bioterrorism
forms.
Key Words:
international trade - developing countries - disease import - animal infections
- risk assessment - health guarantee - veterinary services - disease consequences
- disease spreading