WOAH urges investment in vaccines as defense against growing disease threats

The first global assessment of animal health warns that infectious diseases are spreading into new territories, placing a growing strain on public health, food security, and ecosystems worldwide.

Released May 23 by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, formerly OIE), “The State of the World’s Animal Health 2025” provides a review of the shifting landscape of animal disease and its wider implications. The report notes the appearance of familiar diseases, many with a viral etiology, in unfamiliar places, including the re-emergence of peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in Europe and the spread of African swine fever to Sri Lanka, the latter traveling more than 1,100 miles from the nearest outbreaks.

Meanwhile, the reported number of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in mammals more than doubled in 2024 compared with the previous year, with 1,022 outbreaks across 55 countries versus 459 outbreaks in 2023. While human cases of avian influenza are rare, the virus’s spread among mammals such as cattle and cats has sparked concerns about another pandemic.

“The spread, prevalence, and impact of infectious animal diseases is changing. We are facing new challenges for agriculture and food security, human health, and natural ecosystems,” Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran, director general of the WOAH, said in a press release.

The “State of the World’s Animal Health” is intended to become an annual benchmark for tracking animal disease trends and risks. The report is split into two parts—Vaccination and Animal Health and Data-Driven Insights in Animal Health—and was published ahead of the WOAH’s 92nd General Session, held May 25-29 in Paris.

Vaccines and antimicrobials

The report noted that almost half of the WOAH-listed diseases reported to the organization between 2005 and 2023 were considered a threat to human health. Many of these zoonotic diseases are preventable through a combination of vaccination, improved hygiene, and biosecurity. However, access to animal vaccines remains uneven around the world, which can lead to antimicrobial misuse if more readily available antibiotics are given to animals in an attempt to treat the clinical signs of viral disease.

“Alongside other measures, vaccination remains one of the most powerful disease prevention tools available, saving countless lives, preventing economic losses and reducing the need for antimicrobial treatments, Dr. Soubeyran said. “To limit the spread of highly damaging diseases like avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, and PPR, the global community must strengthen international cooperation and ensure equitable access to safe, effective vaccines, alongside other control measures.”

The report highlights vaccination success stories. In Turkey, a new foot-and-mouth disease vaccine was developed and deployed within 37 days, covering 90% of the national cattle herd. In France, a mass duck vaccination campaign against avian influenza cut expected outbreaks from 700 to just 10. And in the Philippines, millions of canine rabies vaccines supplied through WOAH’s vaccine bank have helped lower case numbers.

The news wasn’t all positive. As of May, WOAH’s Rabies Vaccine Bank has delivered nearly 30 million doses of canine rabies vaccine to Africa and Asia, but global progress on eliminating the deadly zoonosis has stalled. The share of countries reporting implementing rabies control measures fell from 85% to 62% in recent years, according to the report.

“The State of the World’s Animal Health 2025” also links weak vaccination infrastructure to growing concerns over antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The latest figures indicate that antimicrobial use in animals fell 5% between 2020 and 2022, with use in Europe seeing the biggest decline of 23%, followed by Africa at 20%. However, 1 in 5 countries continues to use antimicrobials as growth promoters, which is discouraged by WOAH.

The WOAH projects that AMR could result in the loss of livestock critical to the food security of two billion people and lead to $100 trillion in economic damages by 2050.

Dr. Javier Yugueros-Marcos, head of the Antimicrobial Resistance and Veterinary Products Department at WOAH, believes vaccination is key to further reducing antibiotic dependence. “The declining use of antibiotics is encouraging. But we can go further by emphasizing disease prevention, with vaccination as an essential component,” he said in the press release.

Veterinary services

Vaccines alone aren’t enough to ensure animal and public health, according to the report.

WOAH calls for investments to strengthen national veterinary services, greater global and regional coordination, and improved disease surveillance systems to scale up effective disease control. This includes developing and implementing advanced diagnostic tools to differentiate between vaccinated and infected animals, enabling accurate disease tracking and trade transparency.

Veterinary infrastructure is not just a budget item but a critical investment in global health security, according to the report. “A skilled and motivated veterinary workforce is the backbone of any successful vaccination campaign, providing the expertise and dedication needed to reach animals in diverse settings and ensure widespread coverage,” it stated.

“By empowering veterinary services and supporting the veterinary workforce,” the report continued, “we can ensure that vaccination campaigns are implemented effectively, leading to healthier animal populations, reduced disease transmission and, ultimately, the preservation of human lives and livelihoods.”

A version of this story appears in the August 2025 print issue of JAVMA