Yoshihiro Ozawa

Importance of veterinary epidemiology

Historical backgrounds of veterinary epidemiology in Europe and America are compared with those in Japan. The activities played by epidemiologists in these countries are also briefly compared. The role to be played by epidemiologists in decision making continues to increase as the range of subjects to be covered by veterinarians are expanding in such areas as food safety, the control of zoonoses, environmental health, antibiotic resistance and animal welfare. Accordingly, the OIE has expanded its activities in these fields, and plans to hold an international conference in 2009 with aims to strengthen the veterinary education on specific subjects including epidemiology.