Abstract:

Background: About 60.3% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonoses, of which, 71.8% originate in wildlife. Wildlife can act as partial reservoirs of disease or pathogens, or pose an unknown biosecurity threat to humans and livestock. While China currently has a robust surveillance and testing system for some infectious diseases, and relevant laws, regulations and management are increasingly being improved, surveillance of wildlife epidemics is still relatively weak. According to the One Health framework, effective surveillance of wildlife and the implementation of corresponding control measures can not only reduce large-scale epidemics of zoonoses, but also can safeguard the health of wildlife populations.

Method: This study presents the characteristics of an effective wildlife surveillance system through comparative analysis of international cases, and at the same time, through research and analysis of the existing surveillance system in China, assisted with stakeholder interviews and field surveys, proposes key measures to improve the existing system.

Suggestions: (1) Promoting resource sharing among different government departments and improve the capacity of the national epidemic surveillance system to respond to interdisciplinary and cross-sector issues; (2) Establishing key surveillance and response mechanisms in areas where humans and livestock are in frequent contact with wildlife; (3) increasing the emphasis on science and technology, including the establishment of wildlife disease reference laboratories, enhancing the technical capacity of relevant staff, etc., to establish scientific monitoring programs and detection methods; (4) establishing a reporting system based on the public and existing monitoring resources to enhance public participation and information transparency of wildlife disease monitoring.

Key words: One Health, zoonotic, surveillance, policy analysis, wildlife