Advancements in Veterinary Biosecurity: Safeguarding Animal Health

Dear Colleagues,

Livestock production is a crucial sector for ensuring food security and nutrition in many countries worldwide. However, infectious diseases—including emerging and re-emerging ones (e.g., avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, and African swine fever)—have a serious impact on this sector, causing livestock morbidity and mortality, as well as significant economic losses.

Biosecurity remains the most effective strategy to reduce the risk of the introduction, establishment, and spread of animal diseases in livestock. It is also a key component of the One Health approach.

In recent years, biosecurity has gained increasing attention due to its role in improving animal welfare and productivity, which leads to better financial returns for livestock stakeholders. Moreover, enhanced biosecurity contributes to reducing the use of antimicrobials and, consequently, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a major public health threat.

Therefore, identifying and understanding the factors that hinder the effective implementation of biosecurity is essential—not only to improve animal health and production but also to curb the spread of AMR along the food production chain and in the environment.

We are pleased to invite you to submit research articles, short communications, and review papers to this Special Issue, focusing on advancements in strategies with which to improve biosecurity compliance in terrestrial and aquatic animals. Research topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i) Biosecurity implementation in terrestrial and aquatic farming systems;

(ii) Assessment or analysis of the challenges to biosecurity compliance;

(iii) Strategies for improving biosecurity compliance.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Alessandra Piccirillo
Dr. Andrea Laconi
Dr. Ronald R. B. Vougat Ngom
Guest Editors

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