WOAH updates priority disease lists to advance vaccination and reduce antimicrobial use in animals

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has published updated priority disease lists identifying where vaccination could have the greatest impact on reducing antimicrobial use (AMU) in animals.

Developed by the WOAH Ad Hoc Group on the Prioritisation of Diseases for which Vaccines Could Reduce Global Antimicrobial Use in Animals (PROEVA), the work updates previous priority lists and focuses on pigs, poultry and fish.

The assessment identified six priority disease/pathogen areas on which research, innovation and investment efforts could be particularly valuable:

• Pigs: Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Escherichia coli
• Poultry: Eimeria spp. and Escherichia coli
• Fish: Streptococcus iniae and S. agalactiae in freshwater cichlids; Aeromonas hydrophila and other Aeromonas spp. in freshwater cyprinids

Relevance for animal health research

The updated priorities provide an important evidence base to help align research and investment with areas where new or improved vaccines could contribute most to reducing antimicrobial use globally.

For the STAR-IDAZ IRC community, these priorities can help inform discussions among research funders, programme owners and researchers on where coordinated research efforts and investment could address critical knowledge and innovation gaps, while contributing to global efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance.

🔗 Read the WOAH PROEVA report and updated priority disease lists

🔗 PROEVA concept note and Terms of Reference