HISTORY AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES OF THE USE OF DISINFECTANTS IN ANIMAL HEALTH

Programmes for the prevention, control and eradication of animal diseases me closely interlinked in many ways. In the field of animal health over the last 100 years, surveillance, diagnostics, rapid response, regulatory and legal authorities, epidemiological investigations, together with guidelines for dealing with diseased animals and contaminated premises and materials, have proved to be the critical links in the chain of actions needed to prevent, control and eradicate diseases Disinfection, as an integral part of the protection of animal health, has become more sophisticated and more effective over this period. The historical trends suggest that disinfection will be even more important in the future, and that disinfectants and procedures must be further developed to keep pace with new scientific findings, changing agricultural structures and contemporary social concerns.