intensive farming and zoonoses

Biodiversity and health: what is the relationship between intensive livestock farming and zoonoses?

Intensive animal livestock farming, accelerator of zoonoses: a dossier to be found online on Libération.

Extensification, transport, genetic homogenization, misuse of antibiotics... Some practices can lead to harmful cascading effects on biodiversity, animal and human health.

How can animal husbandry contribute to the transfer of diseases from animals to humans? Several processes come into play that can upset the balance between biodiversity and human activities. On the one hand, the intensification of livestock farming has contributed to the degradation of natural areas and favours the emergence of new diseases by bringing wild and farmed animals closer together. Secondly, the homogenisation of animal strains used in animal husbandry may make these same animals more vulnerable to certain pathogens, thus promoting and amplifying their spread. Finally, the widespread use of antibiotics results in the development of resistant strains of bacteria. 

Find all the details and contributions of several scientists, including Christine Fourichon, director of the BIOEPAR unit.

Read the dossier (for subscribers): Biodiversité et santé sur Libération

Modification date : 11 September 2023 | Publication date : 12 May 2020 | Redactor : zoonoses, intensive animal husbandry, antibiotic resistance, ecosystems