Enzootic diseases

Nature

Enzootic animal diseases are indigenous to or always present in particular areas or among particular species of animals. Enzootic diseases are liable to become epizootic (even epidemic) under certain circumstances, in which case many animals are attacked and the disease may spread over a large area or over an entire continent. Enzootic animal diseases raise the risk of infection in man if they are zoonotic, that is to say communicable and common to man and animals.

Background

The significance of enzootic diseases emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as veterinary science linked persistent animal disease outbreaks to economic losses and food insecurity. Global awareness intensified with the spread of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease across continents, prompting international surveillance and cooperation. Over time, the recognition of enzootic diseases’ role in zoonotic transmission and ecosystem disruption has deepened, shaping contemporary animal health policies and cross-border disease management strategies.

Incidence

Rabies is enzootic in Europe; braxy and louping ill are enzootic among sheep in Scotland and the north of England; anthrax is enzootic among horses in Asia Minor; foot-and-mouth disease is enzootic in many tropical countries; and rinderpest is currently enzootic or epizootic in most tropical African countries.

Claim

Enzootic diseases are a critical and often underestimated threat to global health, food security, and economies. Their persistent presence in animal populations fuels outbreaks, endangers livelihoods, and risks devastating spillover into humans. Ignoring enzootic diseases is reckless; urgent, coordinated action is essential to prevent catastrophic consequences. We cannot afford complacency—addressing enzootic diseases must be a top priority for governments, scientists, and communities worldwide.

Counter-claim

Enzootic diseases are vastly overemphasized and do not warrant the concern they receive. These illnesses are typically stable within animal populations and rarely pose significant threats to humans or economies. Resources spent on monitoring and controlling enzootic diseases could be better allocated elsewhere. The persistent focus on these relatively minor issues distracts from far more pressing global health and environmental challenges that genuinely deserve our attention and action.