Biosecurity is a cornerstone of veterinary medicine and animal care, encompassing a set of preventive measures designed to reduce the risk of introduction, establishment, and spread of animal diseases, infections, or infestations within and between animal populations, and to people. The AVMA believes science-based biosecurity is a vital part of protecting animal health, animal welfare, and public health.
Whether in clinical practice, production agriculture, animal research, or other settings where animals are kept, veterinary professionals play an important role in implementing and promoting sound biosecurity practices. A key part of this responsibility is developing a biosecurity plan tailored to the needs of a particular situation. This means describing potential pathways for disease introduction or spread in specific animal species and environments—including their zoonotic potential—and describing the measures that are being or will be taken to mitigate those risks.
The resources on this page are designed to help veterinary professionals access trusted biosecurity tools and guidelines across a range of animal species and settings. The provided information focuses specifically on biosecurity as it relates to animals—including food-producing animals, but not on the food itself. (For information on biosecurity as it relates to food, see this example of a secure food supply plan and this overview).
POLICY
AVMA policy: Biosecurity
See the AVMA’s policy on biosecurity.
Biosecurity guidelines, definitions, and principles
Biosecurity guidelines
Guidelines for biosecurity and biosecurity plans have been developed by federal agencies and intergovernmental organizations largely for trade purposes. These guidelines provide:
- Ways of demonstrating that a specific disease is not on a specific premises at a particular time
- Protocols to prevent exposure of animals to a particular disease on a particular premises
- Procedures implemented in a specific geographic area when a disease impacting trade is identified in that area (also referred to as foreign animal diseases in U.S. guidelines)
Many states also have developed biosecurity laws and regulations.
In addition to governmental agencies, many veterinary associations, producer groups, and research organizations have created biosecurity guidelines for species-specific animal health promotion and disease prevention, as well as for premises and facilities where animals are kept.
Although the following information pulls from some of these species-specific guidelines, the concepts are available for consideration in biosecurity plans for any disease in any species on any premises.
Biosecurity definitions
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has two sets of definitions related to biosecurity, based on the relevant animal species.
WOAH definitions for terrestrial animals
- Biosecurity: A set of management and physical measures designed to reduce the risk of introduction, establishment and spread of animal diseases, infections or infestations to, from, and within an animal population.
- Biosecurity plan: A plan that identifies potential pathways for the introduction and spread of disease in a zone or compartment, and describes the measures which are being or will be applied to mitigate the disease risks, if applicable, in accordance with the recommendations in the Terrestrial Code.
WOAH definitions for aquatic animals
- Biosecurity: A set of management and physical measures designed to mitigate the risk of introduction of pathogenic agents into, or spread within, or release from, aquatic animal populations.
- Biosecurity plan: A document that identifies potential pathways for the introduction of pathogenic agents into, or spread within, or release from, a zone, compartment or aquaculture establishment and describes the measures applied to mitigate the identified risk, in accordance with the recommendations in the Aquatic Code.
Biosecurity principles
Preventing pathogen exposure on a particular premises
A site-specific biosecurity plan should consider factors such as the primary route of exposure to an animal pathogen and whether it is zoonotic. Levels of biosecurity to prevent exposure to an animal pathogen include conceptual, structural, and operational, as defined.
- Conceptual biosecurity refers to the location, geospatial siting, scope, and size of the facility.
- Structural biosecurity refers to the capital investment that enhances ability to prevent disease spread, and includes the physical design, construction, and maintenance of a facility that helps prevent the transfer or aids in the containment of disease.
- Operational biosecurity refers to processes and protocols, management practices, and standard operating procedures implemented to exclude or contain disease. It includes procedures conducted on the premises, as well as the management of people, animals, supplies, equipment, vehicles, and other items related to disease control.
For a particular premises, steps that support biosecurity include identifying a biosecurity officer or manager; personnel and their training; lines of separation; and a perimeter buffer area. They also include consideration of potential vectors like pets, wildlife, insects, vehicles, and other equipment; carcass disposal, manure and litter management; replacement of animals, feed, bedding and litter; and the water supply. Additional concepts to consider include cleaning and disinfection of equipment and the premises, personal protective equipment, and other personnel attire.
Containing a disease beyond a premises in an outbreak
Considerations beyond a particular premises arise in a disease outbreak, particularly a foreign animal disease outbreak. Some of these considerations include:
- The premises and impacted zones
- Roles and responsibilities within and beyond these zones
- Biocontainment (preventing disease spread off a premises that is considered infected including work zones and additional biosecurity protocols)
- Bioexclusion (preventing disease spread onto a premises considered non-infected)
- Surveillance activities during an outbreak response
Biosecurity resources for animal premises and facilities
The following resources provide guidance on biosecurity or biosafety for premises and facilities where animals are kept. For information on specific animal species, please see the next section.
Biosecurity resources for specific animal species
The following resources provide guidance on biosecurity for various animal species.
