Intensification of livestock systems and pandemic risks

The supposed link between the intensification of livestock production and the increasing frequency of emerging human diseases with a pandemic potential is one of the major controversies affecting the global food system. Domestic animals have contributed to the appearance of some major human diseases and are the reservoir or intermediary host of several recently emerged zoonoses. However, the impact of practices associated with the intensification of livestock production on human health has yet to be determined objectively. The concentration of animals in high density in increasingly large breeding structures, as well as the growing intensity of flows of live animals at the national and international levels, constitute well established risk factors. On the other hand, the intensification of animal husbandry can lead to a reduction in the risks of emergence at the interface between wildlife, livestock and humans, through enhanced application of biosecurity measures and controls on farming practices and commercial networks, although this evolution strongly depends on the socioeconomic context specific to each country or region.