The first “State of the World’s Animal Health 2025” report from the WOAH shows clearly how animal health impacts human life, economic security and the environment. This key report, presented at WOAH’s 92nd General Session, becomes a source of guidance for scientific and actionable responses to threats like emerging infectious diseases, climate change, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and food insecurity. It documents important achievements of working together and using new solutions, as well as outlines the long-lasting issues that truly require worldwide attention.
The strong health of animals is central to everyone’s health everywhere.
Animal health and human health are connected at the heart of the report’s message. Health belongs to everyone. It is agreed in One Health that the health of humans, animals and the environment is closely connected. Diseases found in animals, be they cattle, deer or fish, can be severe and risk harming people’s ways of life, health, access to food, global business and wildlife. Since projections say the world’s population will hit 9.1 billion people by 2050 and there will be higher demand for agricultural goods, ensuring animal health is more essential than before. Ensuring animal health should be seen as important for the world’s health as for financial planning.
Vaccination Essential for Better Health in the Future
The impact of vaccination on controlling illnesses in animals is a major theme found in the 2025 report. Removing rinderpest or cattle plague, proves that working as a group on mass vaccinations can achieve important global health victories. Over many years, millions of cattle, buffalo, yak and wild animals in Africa, Asia and Europe died from rinderpest. This global win in 2011, following ten years after the last recorded case, clearly shows that vaccines can eliminate serious diseases from the world.
Apart from eradicating diseases, vaccines are important for slowing down the growth of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Thanks to vaccines, there are fewer infections, so less antibiotic use is needed which prevents antibiotic resistance in bacteria. According to Aquatic Animals Commission President Alicia Gallardo, it is crucial to use vaccination as a main way to stop bacterial diseases, including in nationwide animal health planning. Professor Peter Borriello points out that viral vaccinations help to cut back on antibiotics, because they prevent the viruses that might prompt secondary bacterial infections.
The report investigates a number of diseases where vaccination is making a real difference:
Avian Influenza (HPAI)
The world currently fights a tough battle with Avian Influenza (HPAI) which has ruined poultry production, upset nature and put food security in danger, with over 633 million birds lost in the last 20 years. Although strict biosecurity and watching for symptoms are key, vaccination plays an important role in lowering how far and bad these infections become. As a result of HPAI, national economies all over the world suffer setbacks in trade, local industries and the food of consumers, mainly affecting those who depend on poultry for protein. Thanks to its nationwide vaccination program for ducks in October 2023, France has seen a decrease in outbreaks from 700 to just 10 after exposure to wild birds. According to the report, the highly-valued “DIVA” approach allows monitoring of infections in animals and maintaining validity in trade. Because of this, FAO partnered with WOAH to launch the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (2024–2033) to maintain sustainable poultry production and control diseases by regularly selecting and updating vaccine ingredients.
African Swine Fever (ASF)
Across the globe, the pig industry worries about ASF which causes great harm to people by quickly wiping out entire flocks. Historically, it’s been very difficult to control because there has not been a widely effective vaccine. Even so, recent improvements in modified live vaccines are cause for hopeful optimism. The use of a vaccine against the ASFV genotype II was approved in Vietnam last year for the first time among pigs, with results showing good efficacy and few negative effects. WOAH says that vaccination against ASF should only be included in a targeted approach that includes tight biosecurity measures, good surveillance and movement rules. The Organisation has recommended a new standard for developing and assessing ASF vaccines, putting special importance on safety, efficacy and quality. Organizations like the Standing Groups of Experts on ASF (SGEs-ASF) are mandatory for collaboration in dealing with ASF issues.
Rabies
Each year, rabies takes the lives of more than 59,000 people globally, and most of those deaths are caused by dog bites. To stop rabies in humans, it is best to increase dog vaccinations in areas where they are most at risk, as at least 70% of dogs should be protected. In 2023, Guinea’s national dog vaccination program with One Health support vaccinated about 92,000 dogs and cats. Thanks to a community-based effort, Bhutan’s 2021 dog protection and rabies prevention programme achieved 100% sterilization and vaccinated 90% of dogs with free-roaming animals by October 2023. Thanks to help from the rabies vaccine bank and international support, the Philippines stepped up its vaccination process, which resulted in fewer reported cases of rabies. Using ORV is becoming useful for treating unvaccinated dogs living in remote places.
PPR (Sheep and Goat Plague)
PPR is a contagious viral disease that has destroyed large numbers of sheep and goats in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and lately Europe. Its growth in Europe brings to light its international danger. The financial cost is great and 300 million rural families, mostly women and youth, are seriously affected by lack of food security. A very good, low-cost, lasting vaccine is available, so mass vaccination could lead to the same outcome as rinderpest. Thanks to mass vaccination campaigns in Morocco since 2008, the PPR virus is at low risk of returning. The report points out that, since animals move across borders, regions should cooperate more closely. In February 2025, the Pan-African Programme for the Eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants was initiated to finish PPR elimination by 2030 through partnerships and economic solutions for veterinary care.
mTB (Mammalian Tuberculosis)
Mainly caused by M. bovis, mTB is a difficult and far-reaching disease in cattle, wildlife and humans. It costs the United States billions of dollars annually. Traditionally managed by testing and culling, scientists are now testing DIVA skin tests and a BCG vaccine for cattle. The UK is leading the testing, and results from vaccinating badgers have influenced policy.
Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD)
LSD is a highly infectious viral disease for cattle causing pain, low milk yields, reproductive issues and economic loss. Vaccination is key. The first cases in Asia were found in Algeria, Libya, Tunisia and Japan. In Thailand (2021), swift vaccination helped reduce cases. In 2023, Bhutan vaccinated around 300,000 cattle, mithun, buffalo, yaks and yak crossbreeds.
Brucellosis
Brucellosis causes infertility in livestock and health issues in people. It’s economically damaging, especially where the disease is common. In Oman, mass immunization, research and education reduced infection. However, farmer hesitation, testing challenges, and low awareness remain issues.
Using Data for Insight Provides an Action Plan
Global animal health intelligence relies on WOAH’s use of data:
- WAHIS (World Animal Health Information System)
- ANIMUSE (ANImal antiMicrobial USE)
These tools offer data on disease spread, antimicrobial use, veterinary capacity and regional disparities. WAHIS + ADIS from the EU encourages stable information exchanges.
The Ninth Annual AMU Report (May 2025) includes data on 71% of global animal biomass. AMU dropped by 5% from 2020 to 2022 in 62% of global animal biomass. However, aquaculture still uses fluoroquinolones, and 22% of members still use antimicrobials for growth. 7% rely on critically important antimicrobials.
The EcoAMR report series models that without action, drug resistance may reduce global GDP by US$1.7 trillion by 2050. Additional losses could hit US$5.2 trillion. Livestock AMR losses could mean the food needs of 750 million to 2 billion people.
Problems Faced and Plans for Improvement
Despite successes, problems endure:
- High vaccine costs
- Access issues in remote/conflict areas
- Farmer hesitancy
The trade sector is also challenged, especially around avian influenza.
WOAH recommends several important actions toward effective vaccination and disease control.
- Ensuring Veterinary Services receive strong resources and training for their experts.
- Supporting worldwide and regional efforts for disease tracking, alert systems and combined approaches to vaccination.
- Increasing the ability to tell apart vaccinated from infected animals, thus more accurately tracking cases and making trading information clear.
- Giving the animal health workforce access to learning, on-the-job practice and fair salaries through funding.
Making efforts to prevent diseases such as vaccinating animals, to lower their distress and improve their overall condition.
Animal health is seen as essential for supporting public health, ensuring enough food and sustainably growing the economy.
Essentially, the report helps guide actions across the globe as we aim for a future with safe animal health, strong general health and sustainable development for the foreseeable future. If collaboration, investment and data-informed plans are valued, the international community can tackle changing health threats and help everyone enjoy better health.
