World’s first global animal health report warns of mounting threats to food security, public health

FRANCE – The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has released its first-ever flagship report, The State of the World’s Animal Health, providing an unprecedented, data-driven overview of global animal health amid mounting biological threats. 

The report warns that unless urgent action is taken, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could cost the global economy US$100 trillion and jeopardise the food security of two billion people by 2050.

This inaugural publication, launched during WOAH’s 92nd General Session, held in Paris, synthesises expert insights and comprehensive data from the organisation’s powerful surveillance systems, WAHIS and ANIMUSE. 

It examines major disease outbreaks, antimicrobial usage trends, and the role of vaccination in safeguarding both animal and human health.

“As the world faces increasingly complex health challenges, access to trusted, data-driven insight has never been more important,” said Emmanuelle Soubeyran, Director General of WOAH. 

A focus on the role of vaccination in disease control 

The 2025 report is structured in two parts, beginning with a focus on vaccination’s role in controlling high-priority diseases such as avian influenza, foot and mouth disease (FMD), lumpy skin disease, rabies, and peste des petits ruminants. It then delves into the pressing global challenge of AMR.

The findings are sobering. Between January 2024 and April 2025, WOAH recorded 6,807 outbreaks of African swine fever, leading to over 222,000 domestic pig losses, and 3,513 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, causing more than 82 million poultry deaths. 

Bluetongue disease and the re-emergence of New World screwworm are also spreading into new and previously disease-free regions.

WOAH’s analysis identifies vaccination as a pivotal, underutilised tool for disease prevention and AMR reduction. 

The report celebrates country-level successes and highlights disparities in disease control capacity, advocating for targeted global support.

“This publication brings together WOAH’s most powerful data sources… to deliver unprecedented insight into the key trends shaping our field,” said Soubeyran.

“It explores the state of major animal diseases, the ongoing threat of antimicrobial resistance, and the regions where vaccination is showing tangible success in protecting animal populations.”

AMR to have far-reaching consequences 

Among its most alarming projections, the report estimates AMR could shrink global GDP by US$5.2 trillion by mid-century. 

Javier Yugueros-Marcos, Head of WOAH’s Antimicrobial Resistance and Veterinary Products Department, underscored the gravity of the issue: “The indiscriminate use of antimicrobials contributes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is a major threat to both animal and human health.”

AMR occurs when pathogens such as bacteria and viruses evolve to withstand drug treatments, often due to overuse or misuse of antibiotics in both human and veterinary settings. 

The report found that 20% of WOAH member countries continue to use antimicrobials as growth promoters, 7% of which use drugs classified as highest-priority critically important to human health, including colistin and enrofloxacin.

A comparative analysis of antimicrobial use revealed that fluoroquinolones, a class of antibiotics essential to human medicine, accounted for 15.8% of those used in aquaculture. This raises red flags about the overuse of critical antibiotics in aquatic environments.

However, there are signs of progress. Between 2020 and 2022, global antimicrobial use in animals dropped by 5%, with Europe and Africa recording the steepest declines, 23% and 20% respectively.

“The declining use of antibiotics in almost all regions is encouraging,” said Yugueros-Marcos, “but further reductions can be achieved by prioritising preventative measures against animal diseases, with vaccination as an essential component of these.”

The report suggests that a global 30% reduction in antibiotic use, achieved through improved hygiene, vaccination, and biosecurity, could yield US$120 billion in economic gains by 2050.

By offering regional perspectives and highlighting where progress is being made, The State of the World’s Animal Health also shines a light on where international collaboration and investment are most urgently needed. 

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