- Intensive livestock farming could increase the risk of new pandemics, as highlighted by a study led by the University of Exeter.
- Industrialized farming, which is often believed to reduce the spread of zoonotic diseases, may actually have uncertain or negative effects on emerging infectious disease risks.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasized the importance of studying zoonotic viruses and the factors that contribute to their emergence and transmission.
- The study emphasizes the need to consider social, economic, and political factors in addition to microbiological, ecological, and veterinary sciences when assessing pandemic risks associated with intensive farming.
- Factors such as environmental degradation, on-farm biosecurity challenges, and the close ties between large food companies and national authorities can exacerbate the risks of emerging infectious diseases.
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Infectious Diseases, Public Health & Prevention, Critical Care