Impact of Climate Change on Animal Health, Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases in Africa

Abstract

AbstractThe threat of climate change and global warming is gaining worldwide recognition. The African continent, because of its size, diversity, and its new status as a “hub” of livestock production, need to gear up to mitigate the possible impacts of climate change on animal health. The aim of this review article is to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the influence of climate and climate change on the health of food-producing animals. Depending on its intensity and duration, heat stress may directly affect livestock health by causing metabolic disruptions, oxidative stress, and immune suppression, causing increased disease susceptibility, and death. Animal health could also be affected by emergence and re-emergence of vector- and non-vector-borne pathogens that are highly dependent on climatic conditions. The response to these challenges requires community participation in the adaptation of animal production systems to new environments and strengthening the efficiency of veterinary services delivery combined with well-coordinated public health services, since many emerging human diseases are zoonotic.