United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Animal 

Health Programs: 

Combining Surveillance, 

Detection, and Response
Veterinary Services

APHIS’ Veterinary Services (VS) program

mission is to protect and improve the health,

quality, and marketability of our Nation’s

animals, animal products, and veterinary

biologics. To accomplish this mission, VS

prevents, controls, or eliminates animal diseases and monitors and promotes animal

health and productivity.

The mission of VS is very important relative

to U.S. agricultural exports and imports. The

extent to which U.S. agricultural products

can be made available in foreign markets is

directly related to the certifiable health and

quality of U.S. livestock and poultry.

Proving the health and quality of U.S. livestock and poultry is one of the goals of VS’

National Animal Health Monitoring System

(NAHMS). NAHMS does this by collecting

information on the status of animal health in

the United States. The program, which began

in 1983, estimates the level of selected

domestic diseases and also estimates producer awareness of foreign animal diseases.

In addition, sera are collected and banked

through NAHMS national studies and are a

possible resource for determining the presence of new diseases.

VS also helps ensure the health and quality

of U.S. agriculture by preventing foreign animal pests and diseases from entering and

establishing themselves here. These diseases

threaten the health of U.S. livestock and

poultry and threaten this country’s share of

foreign markets due to trade restrictions that

would result from having a foreign pest or

disease establish itself here.

To combat this threat, APHIS inspectors at

U.S. ports of entry prevent international passengers from bringing in foreign pests and

diseases through inspections. Also, more

than 300 APHIS veterinarians are stationed

throughout the United States to investigate

suspected foreign diseases that slip through

this exclusion system undetected.

2 Animal Health Programs

The Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) is charged

with protecting American agriculture 

in part by setting phytosanitary and

zoosanitary standards that allow trade

without the threat of introducing

foreign pests and diseases into the

United States or pests and diseases 

that are indigenous in the United States

into foreign countries. APHIS is divided

into several program areas that focus on

different aspects of this mission.
Regulating Trade and Opening New

Markets for U.S. Agriculture

VS’ National Center for Import and Export

(NCIE) develops zoosanitary protocols that

allow the safe import of animals and animal

products and negotiates protocols that will

allow the entry of U.S. animals and animal

products into foreign countries.

As with their counterparts in APHIS’ Plant

Protection and Quarantine unit, who deal

with plant material exports, VS officials provide health certification for animals and animal products designated for export.

Examinations and tests, usually done by

accredited veterinarians, cover both U.S.

export health requirements and the frequently complex import requirements of the

receiving nation. A VS veterinarian endorses

export health certificates after all tests and

other requirements have been met. Then a

final examination is conducted by a VS veterinarian at the port of export before the

livestock or poultry leave the country.

For example, during the week of May 14,

2000, the Miami Animal Import–Export

Center reported exports of 92 cattle in 1 shipment to Venezuela, 40 goats in 1 shipment to

Brazil, and 5 horses in 3 shipments to

Barbados, the Cayman Islands, and the

United Kingdom. The Center also reported

imports of 40 horses in 5 shipments from

Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia. All of these

animal shipments required the proper

zoosanitary certifications to reach their final

destination.

VS regulates the importation of animals that

enter the country through land ports along

the borders with Mexico and Canada and

through three animal import centers located

in Miami, FL, Newburgh, NY, and Los

Angeles, CA. Bird imports must enter

through 1 of 6 VS-operated bird quarantine

centers or through 1 of 60 privately owned,

VS-supervised quarantine facilities.

Eradicating Foreign Pests and

Diseases

Within 24 hours of suspicion of a foreign

animal disease outbreak anywhere in the

United States, a specially trained Foreign

Animal Disease Diagnostician (FADD) is dispatched to collect appropriate samples for

diagnosis. Depending on the findings, a specially trained Early Response Team (ERT)

may be assembled to work on the issue.

Initially, the team might consist of just a

couple of epidemiologists but can quickly be

expanded to include other FADDs, veterinary

specialists, and administrative support. It’s

the job of the ERT to conduct an epidemiologic investigation in order to determine the

source and nature of the suspected outbreak.

The ERT is also responsible for taking the

necessary blood, tissue, and other samples

that are critical for diagnosing the suspected

disease. The results of those tests determine

what happens next.

In most cases, the test results are negative

for a foreign animal disease, but should a

major outbreak occur, APHIS has another

team in place to begin controlling and

eradicating the disease.

In the rare event of a serious foreign animal

disease outbreak, a VS task force known as

the Regional Emergency Animal Disease

Eradication Organization (READEO) team

can be onsite rapidly to implement the measures necessary to eradicate the disease.

These task forces consist of VS employees,

State veterinarians, military support personnel, industry liaisons, and representatives

from other units within USDA. The last time

a READEO was called into action was in 1984

to eradicate an outbreak of avian influenza.

At APHIS headquarters in Riverdale, MD,

animal disease outbreaks are managed by VS’

Emergency Programs (EP) staff, which was

created in 1972. EP and its cooperators eradicate foreign animal diseases before they can

establish themselves in American livestock.

Animal Health Programs 3

Within 24 hours 

of suspicion of a

foreign animal

disease outbreak

anywhere in the

United States, 

a specially 

trained Foreign

Animal Disease

Diagnostician

(FADD) is

dispatched to

collect appropriate

samples for

diagnosis.
EP and its State and Federal cooperators

eradicated avian influenza in 1984, classical

swine fever (CSF) in 1978, exotic Newcastle

disease in 1974, and sheep scabies in 1973.

EP continues to coordinate the investigation

of many suspected cases of foreign animal

diseases each year.

Not every confirmed foreign animal disease,

however, requires a READEO to combat the

threat. Often, the cases are isolated incidents

that can be quickly resolved. On March 4,

2000, VS’ National Veterinary Services

Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, IA, confirmed

that larvae discovered by an accredited veterinarian on an imported horse in Florida

were screwworms. The United States eradicated screwworm in 1966. The horse that had

screwworm was part of a shipment of 17

horses imported from Argentina several days

earlier. EP swung into action, coordinating

APHIS’ response to this livestock threat. 

The horse and the premises were treated

March 3. The horse received a second treatment March 6, and was declared screwworm

free. No other animals were infected.

EP also provides training to Federal and

State veterinarians, diagnosticians, animal

health technicians, epidemiologists, port veterinarians, foreign veterinary medical officers, VS program specialists, and others

whose responsibilities require knowledge of

foreign animal disease diagnosis, identification, and eradication. In the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak, these trained

professionals would be called upon to help

prevent the spread of the disease.

Foreign animal diseases are diagnosed and

researched safely at the Plum Island Animal

Disease Center in New York. Plum Island’s

state-of-the-art biocontainment facilities,

including VS’ Foreign Animal Disease

Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL), allow the

study and diagnosis of exotic animal diseases

not found in the United States to proceed

without threatening the national animal

population.

FADDL also plays an important role in training private-sector and military veterinarians,

USDA employees, and State and foreign veterinary officials on the most current science

and disease-identification practices. Within

Plum Island’s biologically isolated environment, cooperators and employees are trained

to recognize the signs of animal diseases

such as CSF, exotic Newcastle disease, and

foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Eradicating Domestic Diseases

VS works to improve the health and quality

of U.S. livestock and poultry, and therefore

U.S. agriculture’s trade position, through the

eradication of domestic animal diseases.

Diseases such as brucellosis, pseudorabies,

bovine tuberculosis, and scrapie are targeted

for elimination, and eradication efforts are

well underway. Other diseases like CSF and

FMD and parasites like screwworm have

been eradicated, resulting in more favorable

trade conditions for U.S. exports.

VS’ NVSL serve as key players in disease

eradication by providing diagnostic services

for domestic animal diseases and some foreign animal diseases. In late 1999, NVSL personnel were instrumental in diagnosing the

West Nile virus that killed seven people in

New York City and made dozens ill. Horses

that became sick from the virus triggered

VS’ involvement and NVSL’s diagnoses.

Currently, VS is cooperating with several

States and with other Federal agencies to

monitor for the West Nile virus and respond

to any new outbreaks.

NVSL employees also work closely with

APHIS’ International Services (IS) program

to provide consultation, reagents (substances

used to make vaccines), and training for

foreign governments.

4 Animal Health Programs

VS works to 

improve the health

and quality of 

U.S. livestock 

and poultry, and

therefore U.S.

agriculture’s trade

position, through

the eradication of

domestic animal

diseases.
Working in Foreign Countries To

Protect U.S. Agriculture and Create

Trade Opportunities

VS and their IS counterparts also work 

with foreign governments to eliminate animal diseases in other countries that threaten 

U.S. agriculture. For example, APHIS worked

with Mexico to eliminate screwworm. 

Mexico was officially declared free of that

pest in 1991.

APHIS also cooperates with Central

American nations to eradicate screwworm

from that area and ultimately to establish

and maintain a permanent sterile-fly barrier

at the Darien Gap between Panama and

Colombia. In areas where screwworm is a

problem, sterile screwworm flies are released

to mate with fertile, wild flies and breed any

lingering screwworm population out of

existence. Additional eradication activities

include the regulation of cattle movement

and treatment of wounds infested by

screwworms.

The Darien Gap is the narrowest geographic

region in southern Panama, stretching only

102 miles. The region is mainly jungle and

has no roads, but a number of rivers and

trails lead to North America, so APHIS

continues to monitor the borders of Panama

and Colombia.

In addition, a new facility to produce sterile

flies is being built in Panama to replace, by

2003, the existing one in Mexico. Locating

the new facility in Panama, an area where

screwworm has not been eradicated, will

reduce the risk of reinfestation of the 

United States through accidental release

of fertile flies.

To date, Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, 

El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua have

been declared free of screwworm. Once the

pest has been eradicated from Panama,

Central America will be declared 

screwworm free.

VS and IS are also helping to combat CSF in

the Dominican Republic and Haiti. CSF was

eradicated from the United States in 1978

after a 16-year effort by the industry and

State and Federal Governments. Today, only

16 other countries are free of CSF.

In the spring and summer of 1997, outbreaks

of CSF were confirmed in Haiti and the

Dominican Republic; both countries had

eradicated the disease in the early 1980s. 

VS is working with IS in those countries to

eliminate the disease and lessen the threat of

CSF’s getting into the United States.

Working with the governments of the

Dominican Republic and Haiti, APHIS is

planning to establish a passenger predeparture inspection program in all international

airports in those countries. The belongings

of passengers headed for the United States

will be inspected before they leave so that

any illegal agricultural products will be

confiscated before they ever enter the

United States.

Another disease of concern for the United

States is FMD. The United States has been

free of it since 1929, but FMD outbreaks in

Europe and South America will continue to

pose a threat to American agriculture until

the disease is eradicated. Although a large

portion of South America is free of FMD, the

region continues to battle outbreaks of the

highly contagious disease, which debilitates

cloven-hooved animals, resulting in great

economic losses for producers.

Animal Health Programs 5
To protect U.S. borders, APHIS works with

PANAFTOSA, a South American organization

created to eradicate FMD. An IS employee is

stationed in South America to develop eradication strategies and help affected countries

implement those plans. APHIS contributes

more than $1 million each year to eliminate

the disease in South America. Additional

funding is spent on maintaining an FMDbarrier program in Panama and Colombia

and managing prevention programs in

Central America and Mexico.

In order to be recognized by APHIS as FMD

free, a country must not discover any signs

of the disease in its livestock for 1 year.

During that period, countries are not

allowed to use vaccinations as a means of

protecting livestock against FMD.

Suriname is the only South American country that has never reported a case of FMD.

French Guyana has been free of FMD without vaccination since 1953, and Guyana,

since 1978. Chile has been free of FMD

without vaccination since 1981.

While eradication efforts are taking place

throughout South America, the continent

recently experienced a setback in the fight

against FMD. Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay

experienced animal-health emergencies in

2001 with FMD outbreaks confirmed in all

three countries. In Argentina and Brazil, the

outbreaks devastated livestock populations

in regions where the disease had already

been eradicated. The disease was just as

devastating to Uruguay, which had been free

of FMD without vaccination since 1996.

Despite these outbreaks, APHIS continues 

to work vigilantly in South America to

eradicate FMD. Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia

have initiated FMD eradication programs 

but will require significant assistance from

neighboring countries and international

organizations to eliminate the disease.

APHIS’ goal is to eradicate FMD from all of

South America by 2009.

Working with the other programs of APHIS,

State and Federal cooperators, and foreign

governments, VS ensures that American

agriculture is safe from foreign animal pests

and diseases and competitive in foreign

markets.

For more information about APHIS

programs, visit the APHIS homepage at

http://www.aphis.usda.gov

6 Animal Health Programs

VS and their IS

counterparts also

work with foreign

governments to

eliminate animal

diseases in other

countries that

threaten U.S.

agriculture.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination in all its

programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex,

religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or

family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons

with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of

program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact

USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil

Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW,

Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call (202) 720–5964 (voice and TDD).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
United States

Department of

Agriculture

Animal and Plant

Health Inspection

Service

Miscellaneous 

Publication No. 1573

Issued September 2001