Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición
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Introduction to Zoonoses
Food-borne zoonoses and zoonotic agents. Introduction
Zoonosis or anthropozoonosis is defined as: a disease or infection transmitted from animals to humans, and vice versa, either directly of indirectly.
As a member of the European Union, Spain takes part in a common system of preventive measures against certain zoonoses and agents causing zoonoses transmitted from animals to people through food.
Monitoring and control
The policy on combating zoonotic infections must be based on risk assessment containing three elements: identifying the risk, risk management and communicating the risk.
Reports on sources and trends
These are prepared each year in compliance with article 3 of Royal Decree 1940/2004 and article 9 of Directive 2003/99/EC on the monitoring of zoonoses and zoonotic agents.
The reports compile data obtained in Spain and are sent over the EFSA communication network, the same as with other Member States and Norway, the main objective currently being increased harmonisation in collecting data on zoonoses and zoonotic agents contained in the Directive.
Control programmes
At present, the zoonoses to be controlled in animals are not a serious problem in causing diseases transmitted to people through food, due in part to inspecting meat in slaughterhouses, and in part to hygienization of milk. However, there are still human cases that justify the effort made for their control in animals.
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