Definition of Research Needs on the Identification, Prediction and Surveillance of Emerging and Re-emerging Zoonoses in the West Balkan Area

Abstract

According to World Health Organization (WHO) most of the emerging diseases around the worldare zoonotic, diseases transmissible between animals and humans. Zoonotic diseases continue to occurin many countries, especially in the developing world, where they mostly affect the poorest segment of thehuman population and cause a serious amount of deaths and millions of affected people every year. Allmajor zoonotic diseases prevent the efficient production of food of animal origin and create obstacles tointernational trade in animals and animal products. Thus they are an impediment to overall socioeconomicdevelopment. The aim of this study was to identify emerging and re-emerging zoonoses at the territory ofBosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, thus defining the research needs on identification,prediction and surveillance of emerging and re-emerging zoonoses in West Balkan area. Results of thestudy pointed to several zoonoses that emerged during analyzed time period of ten years, suggestingWest Balkan area to be a natural focus for several zoonoses including these of bacterial (i.e Lymedisease, Brucellosis, Q febris), viral (i.e HFRS, viral meningitis) and parasitic origin (i.e. Scabies,Trichinelosis). However, this study revealed tremendous lack of systematic surveillance on zoonoticdiseases in West Balkan area, particularly at the territories involved in war campaigns during 1990’s.