The Wildlife-Human-Livestock Interface: A Key Tool in the Fight Against Emerging Diseases

For the past two decades, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases have become a major public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 60% of known human diseases are of animal origin, and more than 70% of new infections identified over the past 30 years have originated in wildlife. An article highlights that health crises often originate in areas where wildlife, livestock, and human populations intersect, known as wildlife-livestock-human interfaces. These interfaces are potential epicenters of future pandemics, as they serve as points of transmission for pathogens between species.  

Definition and Challenges of Wildlife-Livestock-Human Interactions

These dynamic convergence zones include degraded forests abandoned by bats that are encroaching on tree crops, live animal markets where domestic and wild species coexist, grazing areas shared by cattle, goats, and wildlife, and so on. These areas are constantly expanding due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, urbanization, and climate change. Each environmental disturbance intensifies contact between species, creating new opportunities for viruses and bacteria to cross the host barrier. This facilitates the phenomenon of zoonotic transmission (spillover ), whereby a pathogen passes from an animal reservoir to another animal species and then, in some cases, to humans. The case of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, whose origins remain linked to the wildlife-human interface, illustrates the scale of these dynamics.  

Recent Examples of Cross-Contamination

Several recent incidents confirm the impact of these interfaces on global health. In India, lumpy skin disease has caused significant mortality among cattle, with major economic repercussions for livestock farmers. Foot-and-mouth disease remains endemic in several rural areas, fueled by the proximity of livestock to wild animals. The Nipah virus, transmitted by fruit bats, illustrates the direct threat posed by an emerging pathogen that undergoes cross-species transmission and causes severe human outbreaks. Not to mention the difficult fight against African swine fever, which persists in European and Asian regions via wild boars, as was the case this summer in Estonia. These outbreaks show that the wildlife-human-livestock interfaces are not merely ecological zones, but true epidemiological hotspots.  

Prevention Strategies Based on a “One Health” Approach

To limit these risks, the article highlights the need for a comprehensive approach that links human health, animal health, and environmental health. The first step relies on targeted epidemiological surveillance at wildlife-human-livestock interfaces, incorporating both passive detection methods (case reporting by farmers or veterinarians) and active methods (regular sampling of wildlife, livestock, and the environment). Modern diagnostic tools such as PCR, high-throughput serological tests, and genotyping techniques now make it possible to rapidly identify a pathogen circulating at low levels. This early detection is essential for containing disease outbreaks before they spread across regions. The development of appropriate vaccines is presented as an indispensable tool, particularly for animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease or lumpy skin disease. Targeted immunization of livestock herds could prevent massive economic losses and reduce the likelihood of interspecies transmission. The prudent management of antibiotics is another key issue, as excessive use in livestock farming promotes the emergence of resistant bacteria, which can then spread between animals and humans. Finally, the researchers emphasize the importance of establishing buffer ecozones (ecological transition zones between two ecosystems) by restoring forested areas, controlling agricultural expansion, and limiting direct interactions between domestic and wild animals in order to reduce opportunities for spillover.  

The Essential Need for Interdisciplinary Cooperation

The complexity of the wildlife-human-livestock interfaces requires a collective, cross-sectoral response. Veterinarians, epidemiologists, ecologists, as well as urban planners and policymakers must work together to develop prevention strategies. The creation of cross-border surveillance networks, the integration of environmental data (deforestation, climate, biodiversity), and the active participation of local communities are essential. The authors emphasize that no single discipline, acting in isolation, can prevent the emergence of zoonoses. The “One Health” approach is no longer a theoretical option but an indispensable operational framework for anticipating future health crises.