Updated on 04/07/2019

Keywords : Animal diseases, Foot and mouth disease, Animal health

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral infection that is not transmissible to humans. It remains one of the main concerns of livestock farmers and health authorities, due to its potentially huge socio-economic impact. Below is a detailed review of ANSES’s work on FMD.

Updated on 04/08/2016

Keywords : Zoonosis, Animal health, Animal diseases, Coronavirus

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that affect many different animal species and, in some cases, also humans. They can cause a wide range of diseases, but primarily infect the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. In terms of public health, the most well-known coronavirus is the virus that caused the SARS epidemic (severe acute respiratory syndrome). In September 2012, a novel coronavirus was detected in the Middle East in patients who had developed symptoms during the 2nd quarter of 2012. The origin of this virus has not yet been fully established. It is however very similar to the SARS-CoV virus, and to viruses that usually affect certain species of bats. One current hypothesis concerning the origin of the virus is that it adapted to one or more other animal species closer to humans, thus enabling human infection. This family of viruses is presented below, along with the work of the Agency on animal coronaviruses.

Updated on 05/08/2016

Keywords : Rabies, Zoonosis, Animal diseases, Animal health

Rabies is a viral animal disease that can be transmitted to humans (also known as a zoonosis). The virus, found in the saliva of infected animals in the final phases of the disease, is generally transmitted to another animal or to a human through a bite. ANSES plays a major role in the French rabies surveillance scheme, in particular via its Nancy Laboratory For Rabies and Wildlife, which has been actively involved in rabies control efforts for 40 years. The Agency also assesses the various risks associated with rabies.

Updated on 23/08/2016

Keywords : Prion (diseases), TSE (Transmissible spongiform encephalopathy), Animal diseases

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies—prion diseases—are human and animal diseases affecting the central nervous system and more specifically the brain and spinal cord. Some can be transmitted through food. They are caused by unconventional transmissible agents known as prions, particularly resistant to conventional inactivation processes. These diseases are always fatal and there is currently no treatment.

Updated on 04/08/2016

Keywords : Shellfish, Animal diseases, Animal health, Microbiological food risks

Shellfish live in seawater and are in contact with the seabed where they find food including plankton and suspended substances. The quality of shellfish is therefore dependent on water and sediment quality. To ensure the safety of shellfish for the consumer, and to protect shellfish health, the Agency is involved in three main areas.

Updated on 04/08/2016

Keywords : Animal diseases, Animal health

Present in most pig-producing countries today, piglet wasting disease (PWD) emerged in the mid-nineties. This viral disease may, in severe cases, lead to the animal wasting away (weight loss) and in certain cases dying.

Updated on 25/08/2016

Keywords : Climate change, Animal diseases

Does global warming risk inducing the emergence or development of animal diseases? Asked to address this issue, the Agency sought to identify and rank the animal diseases, in particular those that can be transmitted to humans, whose development in mainland France in the coming years may be affected by a possible rise in global temperatures. Six diseases were identified for special monitoring.

Updated on 05/01/2021

Keywords : Bluetongue, Animal diseases, Animal health

Bluetongue is a viral disease of ruminants, and does not affect humans or food. It is transmitted by midges and can cause major economic losses in animal husbandry. Vaccination is the most effective means of prevention, but is expensive. Here is a profile of the disease and an overview of the work of ANSES, a leading player in the fight against this virus.

Updated on 15/01/2018

Keywords : Trichinellosis, Animal diseases, Zoonosis, Foodborne microbiological risks, Animal health

Trichinella spp. is a microscopic parasite of certain monogastric mammals. It lives in the striated skeletal muscle cells of its host animal, causing trichinellosis, an animal disease which can be transmitted to humans. The disease contaminates humans through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat from contaminated animals. ANSES’s Maisons-Alfort Laboratory for Animal Health is the National Reference Laboratory for trichinellosis (NRL for foodborne parasites). As such, it coordinates the network of laboratories in charge of surveillance, develops detection methods and directs research on Trichinella spp. and trichinellosis. ANSES has published a series of opinions and expert assessment documents in order to evaluate the risk associated with Trichinella spp.