Identifying and Reducing Remaining Stocks of Rinderpest Virus.

In 2011, the world was declared free from rinderpest, one of the most feared and devastating infectious diseases of animals. Rinderpest is the second infectious disease, after smallpox, to have been eradicated. However, potentially infectious rinderpest virus material remains widely disseminated among research and diagnostic facilities across the world and poses a risk for disease recurrence should it be released.

[The fight against epizootics in the 21st Century].

The fight against epizootics is today better organized. The tools, methods and strategies used work well and are constantly being improved, which is necessary since disease epidemiology is evolving extremely fast, dominated by a growing complexity associated to global changes and the emergence of new pathologies. The foundation of the strategy is still based on a permanent epidemiological surveillance and the immediate use of appropriate measures.

Animal health in the 21st century-a global challenge.

On the occasion of the centenary of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, a conference entitled 'Animal Health in the 21st Century' was held in Greifswald, Germany, on 11-13 October 2010 to discuss current and future challenges regarding the global situation regarding infectious animal diseases and zoonoses, animal breeding, animal nutrition and animal welfare. Particular attention was paid to the impact of recent developments and anticipated future trends on livestock production.