The future role of the veterinarian in the control of zoonoses

Summary

Developments in the rearing and the health status of meat animals is presented. Attention is drawn to the increase in latent infections, most of which are zoonotic diseases. Such infections escape official ante‐mortem and post‐mortem inspection as it is presently conducted in industrialised countries, which still rely on the classical rules established by Robert von Ostertag. This examination is thus in need of reform.

Proposals submitted to the EEC Commission consist of a stepwise inclusion of the major herds of meat animals in systematic health control aimed at effective control of zoonoses and thus improved consumer protection. It is thus expected that the importance of meat inspection on the basis of pathological‐anatomical changes will decrease the importance of establishing the health status during the animal's lifetime will increase.

Nevertheless, there will be no complete substitution of classical meat inspection because there are numerous changes in the meat specific to the individual animal which can be detected only by meat inspection, and must be detected if the concept of consumer protection is properly applied. The reform of meat inspection which has become necessary will entail a variety of new tasks for research.