This glossary explains the terms Focal Points in Asia and the Pacific come across when reporting to WOAH through WAHIS. Each entry gives the definition first, followed by a short explanation of how the term is used in reporting and, where relevant, the source of the definition.
The glossary is a practical reference and does not replace the WOAH Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes or the WAHIS notification procedures, which remain the authoritative texts.
– Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes glossaries: WOAH Codes and Manuals (select “Glossary” in either Code)
– Immediate notification and follow-up reports notification procedures: terrestrial · aquatic
– Six-monthly reports notification procedures: terrestrial · aquatic
– Annual reports notification procedure: terrestrial and aquatic
Last updated: 7 October 2026. Definitions taken from the Codes reflect the Codes as of this date. If the Codes have been updated since, please refer to the current versions.
See also: Reporting to WOAH: what, when and where
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ADEM (WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module)
The WAHIS module in which immediate notifications, follow-up reports and final reports are created and managed.
Referred to as ADEM throughout the 2026 notification procedures. Data flows one way only, from the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module to the six-monthly report, and only at the moment the six-monthly report draft is first created.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
ADIS
The Animal Disease Information System of the European Union, which is directly connected to the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module.
Data submitted to ADIS is automatically sent to the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module. In WAHIS the data goes through a standard verification and publication process.
Animal
Means a mammal, reptile, bird or bee.
For reporting purposes the measuring unit follows from this: animal, hive or nest for terrestrial species; animal, kilograms or metric tons for aquatic species.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Animal premises
Number of premises (farms) in which animals are kept.
Source: Notification procedure – annual reports
ANIMUSE
The WOAH global database on animal antimicrobial use, which uses annual report animal population data for biomass calculation.
This is why animal population figures must be consistent with the susceptible-animal figures reported in six-monthly reports.
Source: Notification procedure – annual reports
Annual reconfirmation
The yearly submission through which a Member maintains an official disease status already recognised by WOAH, confirming that the conditions on which the status was granted continue to be met.
A separate obligation from the six-monthly and annual reports, with its own deadline and its own recipient inside WOAH. Guidance on the supportive information required is published for classical swine fever, foot and mouth disease, peste des petits ruminants and bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Relevant to the Notification Focal Point because the figures must agree: the Annual Report procedure asks that animal population data be consistent with what is reported in the annual reconfirmation and in the six-monthly reports.
Annual report (AR)
Report submitted under point 4 of Article 1.1.3 of Chapter 1.1. of the WOAH Terrestrial and Aquatic Animal Health Codes, containing animal population and animal premises information for the reporting year.
Only the Animal Population module currently exists; veterinary capacity and emergency preparedness sections are under consideration for future development. Drafting can only begin once the reporting year is over. The Focal Point must be given rights to create Annual Reports in their WAHIS profile by the Delegate.
Source: Notification procedure – annual reports
Ante and post-mortem inspections (Control measure)
Primary component of meat hygiene before slaughter and primary component of process control in post-slaughter meat hygiene.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Approximate location
Yes/No field in the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module indicating that the coordinates given for an outbreak are an estimate, because the precise location is not known or cannot be publicly shared on the WAHIS Public Interface.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Aquaculture establishment
A location where aquatic animals are raised or kept for breeding, stocking or sale.
The origin of an aquatic animal (aquaculture establishment or the wild) is what decides the farmed/wild category for reporting, not where the animal is at the time.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Article 1.1.5. notification
The route for notifying WOAH of disease occurrences that fall outside the rules for notification set out in Article 1.1.3.
Submitted through the WAHIS Support Desk, not through the WAHIS platform itself. Relevant, for example, for a listed disease in a host species not covered by the case definition.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Captive
A captive wild animal is an animal that has a phenotype not significantly affected by human selection but that is captive or otherwise lives under or requires human supervision or control.
In WAHIS this is recorded through the ‘wildlife type’ field on the outbreak, which distinguishes wild, captive and feral animals.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Case
In the absence of a case definition in the specific Terrestrial Code chapter relating to the disease being reported, cases are defined as animal(s) (measured in heads or hives) infected or infested by a pathogenic agent, with or without clinical signs, including animals that died from the disease.
Aquatic Code equivalent: in the absence of a case definition in the specific Aquatic Code chapter, cases are animal(s) measured in animals, metric tons or kilograms, infected by a pathogenic agent, with or without clinical signs, including animals that died from the disease.
Cases refer to individual instances of disease, which are grouped into outbreaks.
When a notification concerns an infection or infestation without clinical signs, this number cannot be ‘0’ — the number of cases is the number of positive animals or the number of positive samples. Death is considered a clinical sign, so all dead animals must also be counted in ‘Cases’. A given animal must not be counted in more than one of ‘Deaths’, ‘Killed and disposed of’ and ‘Slaughtered’.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Compartmentalisation (Control measure)
Procedure implemented by a Member under the provisions of Chapter 4.4. and Chapter 4.5. of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code to define an animal subpopulation contained in one or more establishments, separated from other susceptible populations by a common biosecurity management system, and with a specific animal health status within its territory for the purposes of international trade or disease prevention and control.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Control of vectors (Control measure)
Implementing measures to control insects or any living carrier that transports an infectious agent from an infected individual to a susceptible individual, its food or its immediate surroundings.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Control of wildlife reservoirs (Control measure)
Measures to reduce the potential for wildlife to transmit the disease to domestic animals and human beings (control of wildlife reservoir populations, vaccination of target wildlife, etc.).
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Country
WOAH Member (country / territory) or a non-Member that has submitted the information to WAHIS.
Member Countries and Territories of WOAH are responsible for submitting information on disease occurrences only within their own territory. This responsibility falls under the purview of the Veterinary Authorities, specifically the Delegate (typically the Chief Veterinary Officer) of each Member.
Date of confirmation of the event
The date of the result of the diagnostic method considered conclusive by the Veterinary Authority to confirm the disease.
If the event was confirmed through a diagnostic test, this should be one of the result dates entered in the diagnostic test section. It should not be changed in follow-up reports unless new information shows the event was confirmed earlier. It may be adjusted only where the Veterinary Authority has a transparent internal validation process applying to a limited, pre-identified set of situations (e.g. confirmatory tests carried out in foreign laboratories).
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Date of end of the event
The date on which the event as a whole is closed.
May be later than the end date of the last resolved outbreak. A closure date earlier than the current six-month period will not be accepted, to avoid contradicting information already provided in six-monthly reports.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Date of end of the outbreak
The date when the outbreak is considered resolved by the Veterinary Authority.
It could refer to the date when the last case was eliminated, or the date on which the last animal was killed and disposed of or slaughtered, or the last date of cleaning and disinfection, or the date when all the measures to eradicate the disease have proven to be effective for the concerned outbreak.
Outbreaks can be closed individually at any time during the reporting period by entering an end date, and several can be closed at once with the same end date. WOAH advises not to wait until the final report, so that data transfers consistently into the six-monthly reports. When closing long-standing events, note that a closure date earlier than the current six-month period will not be accepted.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Date of last occurrence
For disease recurrence, the date of last occurrence is the date of end of the previous event for the given disease.
This date refers to the last event resolved regardless of serotype/genotype/subtype and species (domestic species and wildlife). If the country reports the event by zone (one administrative division or zone), the date refers to the date of end of the last event for this specific administrative division or zone.
For strain recurrence, the date of last occurrence is the date of end of the previous event for the same disease and the same strain. This date refers to the last event resolved regardless of species (domestic species or wildlife). If the country reports the event by zone (one administrative division or zone), it refers to the date of end of the last event for this specific administrative division or zone.
This date is unchanged throughout the event.
The same field is also used in the six-monthly report: when the occurrence code ‘disease absent’ or ‘never reported’ is selected, the date of last occurrence is the date on which the disease was last declared absent by the Veterinary Authority. It is prefilled from the end date of the last outbreak of the most recent resolved event, or carried over from the previous report. If not known, select ‘Unknown date’; if only partial information is available, enter the last day of the known month or year (e.g. 2010 only → 2010/12/31), and add an explanatory note in WAHIS if the prefilled date is changed.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Date of start of the outbreak
The date of start of the outbreak is the date when the first case of this outbreak was observed as a first manifestation of a disease as observed by the livestock holder, or the date estimated according to the epidemiological investigation.
▪ If the exact date is not known, Members provide an estimated date.
▪ For a subclinical infection, the date of the first collection of samples which resulted in positive results can be an estimate of the date of start of the outbreak.
▪ In WAHIS the date of start of the earliest reported outbreak will always be used as the date of start of the event.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Deaths
Animal(s) that died from the disease, infection or infestation and not by human intervention.
Leave the relevant field in WAHIS blank if the exact number is not known. Death is considered a clinical sign, so entering a value here indicates clinical manifestation at event level, and dead animals must also be included in ‘Cases’. A given animal must not be counted in more than one of ‘Deaths’, ‘Killed and disposed of’ and ‘Slaughtered’.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Description of the affected population
Free-text description of the categories of animal population present in an individual outbreak (type, breed, age, animal husbandry method, etc.).
Outbreak-level and specific to that outbreak. Do not repeat information given elsewhere in the report (location, species). Distinct from ‘Epidemiological comments’, which cover the whole event. Also the recommended place to explain the epidemiological unit when ‘other’ or ‘not applicable’ is selected.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Detailed characterisation
Field in WAHIS which is used to collect more specific information about pathogens, such as topotypes for foot and mouth disease or clades for highly pathogenic avian influenza. This field allows for a more precise identification of genetic or antigenic variants within a pathogen’s genotype, serotype, or subtype.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Dipping / spraying for control of vectors or parasites (Control measure)
Application of chemicals to animals using a dip (full or partial immersion of the animal in the chemical) or spray (the chemical is sprayed on the animal) or any other method. Usually used to control parasites and potential vectors.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Disease
Within WAHIS a “disease” refers to:
1) WOAH-listed diseases. These are prioritised animal diseases that are subject to mandatory reporting by WOAH Members.
2) Emerging diseases. These are new infections or infestations that have a significant impact on animal or public health.
WOAH Members can also report non-listed diseases in wildlife voluntarily through WildEpi, outside WAHIS. These diseases are considered important for animal health knowledge, even though they are not on the WOAH list.
Non-listed diseases in domestic animals can be notified under Article 1.1.5. of Chapter 1.1., submitted through the WAHIS Support Desk rather than through the WAHIS platform.
Disease absent (occurrence code)
The disease was absent in the country during the reporting period (in domestic species or wildlife / in farmed or wild species).
Use only where there is confidence that the control measures in place would result in the detection and reporting of the disease if present — typically at least ‘disease notification’ and ‘general surveillance’.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Disease limited to one or more zones (occurrence code)
The disease is present with clinical signs and limited to one or more administrative divisions.
The limited distribution should be evidenced through control measures such as disease notification, general surveillance, movement control, zoning and/or compartmentalisation.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Disease notification (Control measure)
Legislative framework is in place to support the reporting of any suspected or confirmed case of a disease, infection or infestation to the relevant authorities.
Together with ‘general surveillance’, this is one of the minimum control measures that must be in place before the occurrence code ‘disease absent’ can be used. For aquatic reporting, where it can be demonstrated that no susceptible species are present, the minimum measures are ‘disease notification’ and ‘precautions at the borders’.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Disease present (occurrence code)
The disease is present with clinical signs in the whole country/territory (in domestic species or wildlife / in farmed or wild species).
If the disease is present without clinical signs, use ‘Infection/infestation’ instead.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Disease suspected (occurrence code)
The presence of the disease was suspected but not confirmed in the whole country/territory.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Disease suspected and limited to one or more zones (occurrence code)
The presence of the disease was suspected but not confirmed, and limited to one or more administrative divisions.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Disinfection (Control measure)
Application, after thorough cleansing, of procedures intended to destroy the infectious or parasitic agents of animal diseases, including zoonoses. This applies to premises, vehicles and different objects which may have been directly or indirectly contaminated.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Disinfestation
Means the application of procedures intended to eliminate infestation.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Disinfestation (Control measure)
Application of procedures intended to eliminate infestation.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Emergency harvest (Control measure)
Harvesting of farmed aquatic animals ahead of schedule as a disease control response.
Appears only in the aquatic control measure list.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Emerging disease
Means a new occurrence in an animal of a disease, infection or infestation, causing a significant impact on animal or public health resulting from:
• a change of a known pathogenic agent or its spread to a new geographic area or species; or
• a previously unrecognised pathogenic agent or disease diagnosed for the first time.
Reported through an immediate notification in the same way as a listed disease, with periodic follow-up reports — until there is reasonable certainty the disease has been eradicated. An emerging disease event must not be closed as ‘sufficiently stable’, because emerging diseases are not reported in six-monthly reports and any further information would then be lost.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Epidemiological comments
Free-text field for further epidemiological information or control measures relating to the whole event — for example the composition and size of the surveillance and buffer zones, animal population survey, sampling information, and biosecurity measures not listed under Control measures.
Completion is highly recommended by WOAH and comments should be kept updated in subsequent follow-up reports. Also the recommended place to state whether a disease is declared stable in a zone or in the whole country/territory. Do not put the outbreak-level ‘description of the affected population’ here.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Epidemiological unit
A group of animals with the same likelihood of exposure to a pathogenic agent. In certain circumstances, the epidemiological unit may be a single animal.
In WAHIS the type is chosen from a fixed list, which differs by stream. Terrestrial: farm, body of water, village, apiary, backyard, zoo, forest, natural park, slaughterhouse, livestock market, other, not applicable. Aquatic: cage, coastal area, estuary, farm, lake, livestock market, reservoir, rope systems, pond, river system, shellfish bed, village, zoo, other, not applicable. Where ‘other’ or ‘not applicable’ is selected, explain which unit is meant in the description of the affected population.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Event
A single outbreak or a group of epidemiologically related outbreaks of a given listed disease or emerging disease that is the subject of a notification. An event is specific to a pathogenic agent and strain, when appropriate, and includes all related outbreaks reported from the time of the initial (immediate) notification through to the final report.
An epidemiological link exists when two disease positive animals share a common risk factor that explains where and when the disease agent could have been transmitted between them.
Grouping of outbreaks into events allows for more effective monitoring, analysis, and response to disease situations, as it provides a comprehensive view of related disease occurrences over time and space.
The event is also specific to the genotype/serotype/subtype where typing has been done. If a different type or pathogenic agent emerges, it must be reported as a new event rather than added to the existing one.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Event level vs outbreak level (diagnostic tests)
The choice of whether to report diagnostic tests as a summary covering the whole event, or linked to individual outbreaks.
WOAH recommends event level. The choice is offered only before any test result is entered and cannot be changed afterwards.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Event status
The state of an event in WAHIS. Values: On-going, Resolved, Stable.
Set by the final report. All on-going events must be brought up to date before a six-monthly report draft is created, since data transfers from the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module only at that moment.
Events Management
A list of animal disease events notified to WOAH through the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module.
The WAHIS Events Management page is sorted automatically by report date, from most recent to oldest.
Farmed (aquatic)
Aquatic animals originating from an aquaculture establishment, raised or kept in facilities for breeding, stocking or sale.
The aquatic counterpart of the terrestrial domestic/wild split.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Feral
Means an animal of a domesticated species that lives without requiring human supervision or control.
In WAHIS this is recorded through the ‘wildlife type’ field on the outbreak, which distinguishes wild, captive and feral animals.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Final report
The last report of an animal disease event in the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module.
This report should be submitted for all events notified through immediate notification and subsequent follow-up reports. The final report should indicate that the event is resolved or, if the disease cannot be controlled but the situation has become sufficiently stable, that notification will continue by means of the six-monthly report.
A follow-up report can end in one of three ways: the event is resolved (final report); the event cannot be considered resolved but the situation is sufficiently stable (final report); or the event is on-going (no final report yet). Outbreaks should be closed before the final report is submitted, to stop them transferring continuously into six-monthly reports. An end date for the event can be given that is later than the end date of the last resolved outbreak. A self-declaration of disease freedom may accompany the final report, but it must be sent to [email protected] — the attachment is removed from the report and a standard sentence is added to the epidemiological comments instead.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
First result date / Latest result date
The dates on which the first and the last results for a given diagnostic test were received.
Not available for entry where the result is pending. If only one outbreak was sampled, both dates are the same.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Focal Point for Animal Disease Notification
The Delegate-nominated national Focal Point responsible for the notification process and for the data gathered for WAHIS reports.
Reporting rights are granted by the Delegate through an official nomination form and WAHIS access creation. WAHIS access can be restricted by animal type (terrestrial or aquatic).
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Focal Point for Aquatic Animals
The Delegate-nominated Focal Point who may be given a WAHIS account, at the express request of the Delegate, to assist with or submit aquatic data.
WOAH does not prescribe whether the Focal Point for Animal Disease Notification or the Focal Point for Aquatic Animals submits aquatic reports in WAHIS; this is a national decision.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Follow-up report
Weekly reports subsequent to an immediate notification submitted in WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module, to provide further information on the evolution of the event which justified the notification.
Follow-up reports should be submitted weekly, including situations where no new information is available or when the epidemiological situation remains unchanged since the previous report.
A follow-up report with no new information is submitted as ‘no evolution’; it still counts towards the weekly obligation.
A disease event cannot be declared sufficiently stable in the immediate notification — at least the first follow-up report is required.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
General surveillance (Control measure)
Surveillance not focused on any particular diseases, but rather capable of detecting any disease or pathogen.
Together with ‘disease notification’, this is one of the minimum control measures that must be in place before the occurrence code ‘disease absent’ can be used. It should not be confused with ‘screening’, which is disease-specific; the two can coexist for the same disease.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Genotype/Serotype/Subtype
The genetic or antigenic variants of a pathogen.
In WAHIS, an event typically corresponds to a single Genotype/Serotype/Subtype of a pathogen. An event focuses on a specific disease occurrence, which usually involves a particular genetic or antigenic variant of a pathogen. If a new strain or variant of a pathogen is detected, it would trigger a new event in WAHIS. The system is designed to track and monitor specific epidemiological situations, including the evolution of particular strains or variants of pathogens.
WAHIS allows reporting for detailed characterisation of pathogens, including their genetic and antigenic variants (such as topotypes and clades).
Where typing has not been done, choose from ‘Untyped or partially typed’, ‘Not sampled’, ‘Pending’ or ‘Other’.
If several types are present in the same location, report each of them separately in a new event.
Geographical level
Whether six-monthly report quantitative data is reported at country/territory level or at administrative division level.
WOAH recommends reporting by administrative division, including at least one affected species, so that the whole country does not appear affected by a given disease on the WAHIS disease situation dashboards.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Immediate notification
A report sent under the responsibility of the Delegate by the Veterinary Authority to WOAH Headquarters, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the disease‑specific chapters, through the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) or by fax or email, within 24 hours.
Sent to WOAH in any of the following situations:
▪ first occurrence of a listed disease in a country, a zone or a compartment;
▪ recurrence of an eradicated listed disease in a country, a zone or a compartment following the final report that declared the event ended;
▪ first occurrence of a new strain of a pathogenic agent of a listed disease in a country, a zone or a compartment;
▪ recurrence of an eradicated strain of a pathogenic agent of a listed disease in a country, a zone or a compartment following the final report that declared the event ended;
▪ a sudden and unexpected change in the distribution or increase in incidence or virulence of, or morbidity or mortality caused by, the pathogenic agent of a listed disease present within a country, a zone or a compartment;
▪ occurrence of a listed disease in an unusual host species.
The reason for notification is selected from a drop-down; where the choice is unclear, ‘Help me to choose’ opens a decision tree, and WAHIS flags a questionable selection with an orange warning icon.
Incognita
The value selected where the wildlife species affected is not known.
Species are otherwise reported by family, Latin and common name. If a species is missing from the drop-down list, request its addition via the WAHIS Support Desk.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Infection
Means the entry and development or multiplication of a pathogenic agent in the body of humans or animals.
The Aquatic Code defines this differently: ‘the presence of a multiplying or otherwise developing or latent pathogenic agent in a host’, understood to include infestation where the pathogenic agent is a parasite in or on a host.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Infection / infestation (occurrence code)
Infection or infestation confirmed by diagnostic testing in the absence of clinical signs.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Infection / infestation limited to one or more zones (occurrence code)
Infection or infestation confirmed by diagnostic testing in the absence of clinical signs and limited to one or more administrative divisions.
As with ‘disease limited to zones’, the limited distribution should be evidenced through control measures such as disease notification, general surveillance, movement control, zoning and/or compartmentalisation.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Infestation
Means the external invasion or colonisation of animals or their immediate surroundings by arthropods, which may cause clinical signs or are potential vectors of pathogenic agents.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Killed and disposed of
Animal(s) killed for disease control purposes and subjected to disposal.
Do not include animals that died naturally, or animals that died from the disease and were then disposed of — that would double-count. Leave blank if the exact number is not known. Refer to Chapter 4.13. of the Terrestrial Code for disposal methods.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Killing for commercial use or own use (Control measure)
Killing of aquatic animals for disease control purposes, with the animals intended for commercial or personal use.
The aquatic counterpart of the terrestrial ‘Slaughter (Control measure)’ entry.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Live animals (annual report)
Number of animals present in the given year, irrespective of their age or purpose of breeding, at a certain point in the year as defined by the country/territory.
May be derived from the most recent national animal census where exact figures for the reporting year are unavailable. Animals in transit through the country/territory are not reported.
Source: Notification procedure – annual reports
Mean live weight (kg)
For the purpose of WAHIS annual report submission only: the average weight of one representative live animal from the category, measured or estimated across a specific population or group of animals.
In the absence of data, the average live weight recorded immediately before slaughter can be reported. Not completed for dogs, cats or bees.
Source: Notification procedure – annual reports
Measuring unit
The unit in which quantitative data for the event is expressed — animal, hive or nest (terrestrial); animal, kilograms or metric tons (aquatic).
Chosen once and applied to all outbreaks within the event; it cannot be changed afterwards.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Method of diagnosis
How the disease was determined, for the event or for an individual outbreak. Values: Suspicion, Clinical, Diagnostic test, Necropsy.
Set at event level and can be overridden for an outbreak. Where the event concerns an infection or infestation without clinical signs, tick only ‘Diagnostic test’. If the pathogen has already been confirmed, do not tick ‘Suspicion’.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Monitoring (Control measure)
Intermittent performance and analysis of routine measurements and observations, aimed at detecting changes in the environment or health status of a population.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Movement control (Control measure)
Measures aimed at avoiding the spread of the disease, infection or infestation within a country/zone/compartment due to the movement of animals or their products.
One of the control measures used to evidence the occurrence codes ‘disease limited to one or more zones’ and ‘infection/infestation limited to one or more zones’, alongside disease notification, general surveillance, zoning and compartmentalisation.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
National report reference
Optional field for the reporting country’s own internal reference for the report, within the National Veterinary Services.
Should be unique for each report. It is the first field a user can modify after creating a draft.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Never reported (occurrence code)
The disease has never been reported in the whole country/territory and is considered historically absent in both animal categories (domestic and wild).
The same criteria as ‘disease absent’ apply. Once the disease has been reported under any other code, this code can no longer be used for either category.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
No evolution (follow-up report)
A follow-up report submitted to confirm that the epidemiological situation has not changed since the previous report.
Counts as a submitted follow-up report for the purposes of the weekly obligation, and must be used to bring events up to date before a six-monthly report draft is created.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
No information (annual report)
Button used where a species is present in the country/territory but data is not available for a given column.
Distinct from entering ‘0’, which means the species does not exist in the country/territory.
Source: Notification procedure – annual reports
No information (occurrence code)
No information is available regarding the presence or the absence of this disease during the reporting period.
Means the relevant control measures in place, if any, cannot give enough confidence that the disease is present or absent.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Notification
The procedure by which the Veterinary Authority informs the Headquarters of the occurrence of disease, infection or infestation in accordance with Chapter 1.1.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Occurrence code
The code reported in WAHIS reflecting the situation of a WOAH-listed disease, infection or infestation in the country or territory for the semester of the report.
Reported per disease and per category (domestic species / wildlife, or farmed / wild). Additional context can be added as a comment when selecting the code. Changing a code in a published report requires internal WOAH analysis and may require Delegate confirmation.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Official destruction of animal products (Control measure)
Destruction of animal products under the supervision of the Competent Authority to prevent the spread of the disease, infection or infestation.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Official disease status
The formal recognition by WOAH of a Member’s animal health status for a defined set of diseases. WOAH has held the mandate from the World Trade Organization to officially recognise disease-free areas since 1998. Recognition currently covers six diseases: African horse sickness, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (risk status), classical swine fever, contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, foot and mouth disease, and peste des petits ruminants. WOAH separately endorses official control programmes for contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, foot and mouth disease, peste des petits ruminants and dog-mediated rabies.
Terrestrial diseases only — there is no official status recognition for aquatic diseases, which is why self-declaration is the route available to the Focal Point for Aquatic Animals.
Not a WAHIS process: it is handled by the WOAH Status Department, and is neither requested, submitted nor visible through WAHIS. It is nonetheless built on the WAHIS record — an immediate notification of the disease, or a six-monthly report carrying an occurrence code other than ‘disease absent’ or ‘never reported’, is visible when the status is assessed. An accurate and complete reporting history is therefore the foundation of the status, and a strong reason to report disease absence as carefully as disease occurrence.
The status is not permanent: it is maintained through annual reconfirmation.
Official disposal of carcasses, by-products and waste (Control measure)
Disposal of carcasses, by-products and waste under the supervision of the Competent Authority to prevent the spread of the disease, infection or infestation.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Official vaccination (Control measure)
Vaccination programme, excluding emergency vaccination in response to the outbreak(s), which is approved and supervised by the Veterinary Authority. Either the number of animals vaccinated or the vaccination coverage can be reported; the two values are mutually exclusive.
The vaccine type used on a given species: if more than one vaccine type was used, please choose in WAHIS the vaccine type which was used most extensively in the official vaccination campaign.
Please do not confuse this control measure with emergency vaccination in response to the outbreak(s), which is only done to control the spread of the disease and is available only in the Animal Disease Events Module of WAHIS.
The vaccination coverage rate is the estimated percentage of individuals vaccinated in the target population of a given animal group. For example, in a population of 17,000,000 animals, the vaccination coverage for a given disease through official vaccination of 3,500,000 animals is 20.58% (3,500,000 / 17,000,000 x 100). If a value is entered for this field, no value can be entered for the field ‘Number of animals vaccinated’ and vice versa.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Outbreak
The occurrence of one or more cases in an epidemiological unit.
Outbreaks are grouped into events based on epidemiological links.
Each outbreak is given an outbreak reference, which is what links outbreak-specific control measures, methods of diagnosis and diagnostic tests to it. An outbreak is closed by entering its end date.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Outbreak cluster
A group of epidemiologically related outbreaks, closely grouped in place within the same first administrative division and within a reasonable period of time, reported as a single entry with the number of outbreaks specified.
WAHIS will not accept clusters containing fewer than 25 outbreaks.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Outbreak reference
The identifier given to an individual outbreak within an event, used to link control measures, methods of diagnosis and diagnostic tests to that specific outbreak.
The mechanism that makes outbreak-level reporting possible where it differs from what was selected at event level.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Pathogenic agent
Means a biological agent that causes, or contributes to, the development of a disease in animals.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Poultry
Means all birds reared or kept in captivity for the production of any commercial animal products or for breeding for this purpose, fighting cocks used for any purpose, and all birds used for restocking supplies of game or for breeding for this purpose, until they are released from captivity.
Birds that are kept in a single household, the products of which are used within the same household exclusively, are not considered poultry, provided that they have no direct or indirect contact with poultry or poultry facilities.
Birds that are kept in captivity for other reasons, including those that are kept for shows, racing, exhibitions, zoological collections and competitions, and for breeding or selling for these purposes, as well as pet birds, are not considered poultry, provided that they have no direct or indirect contact with poultry or poultry facilities.
Where the domestic species reported is birds, WAHIS asks for a production type — poultry or non-poultry — and this Code definition is what decides it.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Precautions at the borders (Control measure)
Measures applied at airports, ports, railway stations or road checkpoints open to international movement of animals, animal products and other related commodities, where import inspections are performed to prevent introduction of the disease, infection or infestation into a country/territory or zone.
For aquatic reporting, where it can be demonstrated that no susceptible species are present in the country/territory, ‘disease notification’ and ‘precautions at the borders’ are the minimum control measures required to support the occurrence code ‘disease absent’.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Process to inactivate the pathogenic agent in products or by-products (Control measure)
A set of management, chemical and physical measures designed to reduce the biochemical or biological activity of a substance or organism.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Production system (aquatic)
Classification of the system in which a farmed aquatic species is held: open, semi-opened, semi-closed, closed.
Defined in Article 4.1.5. of Chapter 4.1. of the Aquatic Code. Reported per farmed species within an outbreak.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Production type (poultry / non-poultry)
Where the domestic species reported is birds, the classification of the production type as poultry or non-poultry.
Where in doubt, refer to the definition of poultry in the Glossary of the Terrestrial Code.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Quarantine (Control measure)
Infected animals and, when appropriate, epidemiologically linked susceptible animals are kept isolated under the supervision of the Veterinary Authority until all sanitary measures considered necessary to control or eradicate the disease have been completed.
Please note that in accordance with the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (glossary), a quarantine station means ‘an establishment under the control of the Veterinary Authority where animals are maintained in isolation with no direct or indirect contact with other animals to ensure that there is no transmission of specified pathogenic agents outside the establishment while the animals are undergoing observation for a specified length of time and, if appropriate, testing or treatment’. Therefore, any cases confirmed at a quarantine station should not be reported as an animal disease event provided that the pathogenic agent did not infect the country/territory’s animal population.
The Aquatic Code defines quarantine differently — maintaining a group of aquatic animals in isolation with no direct or indirect contact with other aquatic animals, including proper treatment of the effluent waters. The same exclusion applies: cases confirmed in aquatic animals in quarantine are not reported, provided the pathogenic agent did not infect the country/territory’s animal population.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Quarantine (aquatic)
Means maintaining a group of aquatic animals in isolation with no direct or indirect contact with other aquatic animals, in order to undergo observation for a specified length of time and, if appropriate, testing and treatment, including proper treatment of the effluent waters.
As with the terrestrial equivalent, cases confirmed in a group of aquatic animals in a quarantine station (after import from another country/territory) should not be reported, provided the pathogenic agent did not infect the Member’s animal population.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Quarantine centre/ quarantine station
An establishment under the control of the Veterinary Authority where animals are maintained in isolation for observation, and if appropriate, testing and treatment, during a specified length of time under adequate biosecurity to prevent specified pathogenic agents from entering into or escaping out of the establishment.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Reason for notification
Specific epidemiological circumstances that prompt a Member to submit an immediate notification to WOAH.
Reason for notification is presented in the immediate notification and stays unchanged throughout the event.
Reasons include:
▪ First occurrence of a disease in a country, a zone or a compartment;
▪ Recurrence of an eradicated disease in a country, a zone or a compartment following the final report that declared the event ended;
▪ First occurrence of a new strain of a pathogenic agent of a disease in a country, a zone or a compartment;
▪ Recurrence of an eradicated strain of a pathogenic agent of a disease in a country, a zone or a compartment following the final report that declared the event ended;
▪ Sudden and unexpected change in the distribution or increase in incidence or virulence of, or morbidity or mortality caused by, the pathogenic agent of a disease present within a country, a zone or a compartment;
▪ Occurrence of a disease in an unusual host species.
The wording in the WAHIS drop-down is shorter than the Code wording above, which is a common source of hesitation. The nine values as they appear on screen are: First occurrence in the country/territory; First occurrence in a zone or a compartment; Recurrence of an eradicated disease; Recurrence of an eradicated strain; New strain in the country/territory; New strain in a zone or a compartment; Unusual host species; Emerging disease; Unexpected change or increase.
Report
A report is a formal document submitted by Members of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to communicate information regarding disease outbreaks. The process involves several key types of reports:
1) Immediate notification: the initial report submitted to WOAH to inform about the occurrence of a first case, thereby initiating a new event. It alerts WOAH promptly to significant epidemiological developments.
2) Follow-up reports: weekly updates provided by Members to WOAH, detailing the evolution of the disease and the effectiveness of control measures, until a final report is submitted.
3) Final report: the report that closes the event, either as resolved or as stable (in which case reporting continues through six-monthly reports).
The monitoring system adds two further report types:
4) Six-monthly report — a twice-yearly report on the occurrence of every WOAH-listed disease and the control measures in place, submitted separately for terrestrial and aquatic animals; and
5) Annual report — animal population and animal premises information for the reporting year.
Report date
The date on which the report was submitted to WOAH by the Member.
The Events Management page is sorted by this field by default, newest first. For draft reports in the WAHIS Back Office, this date indicates the date the report was created.
Report ID
The system-generated unique identifier of a single report (e.g. SMR_184740).
Distinct from Report Number, which is the sequence of the report within an event (IN, FUR_1, FUR_2…). Both appear on the Events Management and Six-monthly reports pages.
Report Number
A report number in WAHIS (such as IN, FUR_1, FUR_2, etc.) refers to the sequential numbering of the reports within a specific disease event. FUR stands for “Follow-Up Report”, IN stands for “Immediate notification”; the number after FUR indicates the sequence of the report for that particular event.
This numbering system allows Members and WOAH staff to track the chronological order of updates for a specific disease event, facilitating effective monitoring and response to animal health situations.
Report status
The stage a report has reached in the submission and verification chain. Values: Draft, Submitted, Submitted to administrator, Validated, Edited after validation, Clarification, Deleted.
‘Submitted’ means sent to WOAH; only ‘Validated’ means published and visible to all WAHIS users. ‘Clarification’ means WOAH has queried the content and the report is awaiting the Member’s response. This distinction is a frequent source of confusion for Focal Points.
Result (diagnostic test)
The outcome recorded for a diagnostic test: Positive, Negative, Doubtful, Pending, Inconclusive, Sample unsuitable.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Screening (Control measure)
Survey/testing carried out within the framework of a control programme for the disease, infection or infestation for health qualification of herds/flocks in all or part of the national territory.
Screening is usually disease-specific and should not be confused with general surveillance. However, the two control measures can coexist for the same disease.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Selective killing and disposal (Control measure)
Application of the measures described for “stamping out” only on a group of animals within the susceptible population (e.g. killing and disposal of cases only).
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Self-declaration of disease freedom
A statement by which a Member declares, on its own authority, that its country, a zone or a compartment is free from a given disease, supported by documented evidence of compliance with the provisions of the relevant chapters of the Terrestrial or Aquatic Code. WOAH screens it administratively and technically and publishes it, but publication does not reflect the official opinion of WOAH or an endorsement of its content.
Distinct from official disease status: a self-declaration is Member-initiated and self-verified, and is available for diseases where WOAH offers no official recognition — including all aquatic diseases. WOAH reserves the right not to publish a self-declaration, and there is no right of appeal from that decision.
Published self-declarations appear on the WOAH website and are not accessible through WAHIS.
Like official status, it rests on the six-monthly reporting history — a declaration of freedom is hard to sustain where the six-monthly report record shows ‘no information’ rather than ‘disease absent’.
Semester / report period
The half-year covered by a six-monthly report — first semester or second semester of a given year.
Appears in WAHIS as ‘Report period’ with the values ‘First semester’ and ‘Second semester’.
Six-monthly report (SMR)
A twice-yearly report covering all WOAH-listed diseases, infections and infestations for the semester of the report. Part I is qualitative (occurrence code and control measures for each disease); Part II is quantitative (data for diseases present during the period).
Separate reports are submitted for terrestrial and aquatic animals. Before creating one, all ongoing events in the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module must be updated — data transfers from the module only when the six-monthly report draft is first created, and later event updates are not reflected. Do not modify data transferred from events; report discrepancies via the WAHIS Support Desk (Category ‘Six-monthly reports’, Sub-category ‘Information request’).
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Slaughter
Means any procedure that causes the death of an animal by bleeding.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Slaughter (Control measure)
Killing of animals for disease control purposes and intended for commercial use or own use.
In aquatic reporting the equivalent control measure is named ‘Killing for commercial use or own use’.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Slaughtered / Killed for commercial use or own use
Animal(s) killed for disease control purposes and intended for commercial use or own use.
Terrestrial wording is ‘Slaughtered’; aquatic wording is ‘Killed for commercial use or own use’. Excludes animals that died from the disease and animals killed and disposed of.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Slaughtered animals (annual report)
Total number of animals slaughtered during a given year.
Should cover both commercial slaughterhouses and non-commercial or uncontrolled slaughtering facilities where possible. Cumulative over the calendar year. Animals imported into the country/territory for slaughter must not be counted.
Source: Notification procedure – annual reports
Species sampled
The species from which samples were taken for a given diagnostic test.
The options offered are the susceptible species already entered in the report.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Stable event
An event in the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module for which a final report has been submitted declaring the disease stable. It indicates that the disease is present and endemic or stable in the country/territory.
These events appear with a blue-coloured marker in the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module interface. In the standard WAHIS reporting process, these events indicate the transition of reporting from the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module to six-monthly reports (i.e. the disease gets notified to WOAH only twice per year).
The declaration is specific to each genotype/serotype/subtype and pathogenic agent. To reverse it and report the disease as absent in the six-monthly reports, the Delegate must send an official communication to the WAHIS Support Desk with evidence of eradication; the default resolution date is the date the communication is received.
Stable event marker
The marker (blue in colour) shown in the WAHIS Animal Disease Events Module to inform users that a disease is stable (either present or suspected in the defined area at present), even when the six-monthly report is not yet available for consultation.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Stamping out (Control measure)
Operation designed to eliminate an outbreak by carrying out under the authority of the Veterinary Authority the following:
▪ the killing of the animals which are affected and those suspected of being affected in the herd or flock and, where appropriate, those in other herds or flocks which have been exposed to infection by direct animal to animal contact, or by indirect contact with the causal pathogenic agent; animals should be killed in accordance with Chapter 7.6. of the Terrestrial Code.
▪ the disposal of the carcasses and, where relevant, animal products by rendering, burning or burial, or by any other method described in Chapter 4.13. of the Terrestrial Code.
▪ the cleansing and disinfection of establishments through procedures defined in Chapter 4.14. of the Terrestrial Code.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Stamping-out policy
Means a policy designed to eliminate an outbreak by carrying out under the authority of the Veterinary Authority the following:
a. the killing of the animals which are affected and those suspected of being affected in the herd or flock and, where appropriate, those in other herds or flocks which have been exposed to infection by direct animal to animal contact, or by indirect contact with the causal pathogenic agent; animals should be killed in accordance with Chapter 7.6.;
b. the disposal of carcasses and, where relevant, animal products by rendering, burning or burial, or by any other method described in Chapter 4.13.;
c. the cleansing and disinfection of establishments through procedures defined in Chapter 4.14.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Start date (as appears on Events Management page)
Date of start of a particular event.
The start date of an event is the earliest date among the “date of start of the outbreak” fields reported for individual outbreaks within the event.
The date of start of the outbreak is the date when the first case of this outbreak was observed as a first manifestation of a disease as observed by the livestock holder, or the date estimated according to the epidemiological investigation.
Sufficiently stable
The situation in which the disease cannot be controlled but the incidence or geographical spread is contained, so that notification continues through six-monthly reports rather than follow-up reports.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Surveillance outside the restricted zone (Control measure)
Undertaking surveillance activities in parts of the country/territory other than those defined as the restricted zone for the disease, infection or infestation being notified.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Surveillance within the restricted zone (Control measure)
Undertaking surveillance activities within the restricted zone for the disease, infection or infestation being notified.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Surveillance without restricted zone (Control measure)
Undertaking surveillance activities without any defined containment or protection zone for the disease, infection or infestation being notified.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Susceptible
Animal(s) at risk of infection with the disease in the epidemiological unit at the onset of the outbreak being reported — measured in heads or hives (terrestrial), or animals, metric tons or kilograms (aquatic).
Report numbers per species where more than one susceptible species is present. Leave blank if the exact number is not known or cannot be estimated; for wild species, usually leave blank.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Targeted surveillance (Control measure)
Surveillance focused on a specific disease or pathogen within a defined animal population.
You can provide the number of animals sampled.
If the number of animals sampled is not available, then the number of samples collected (more than one sample may be taken from the same animal) could be provided.
Should not be confused with ‘general surveillance’, which is not focused on any particular disease.
The aquatic wording is ‘surveillance focused on a specific disease or infection’.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Temporality
Whether six-monthly report quantitative data is summarised and reported by semester or by month (e.g. number of outbreaks per month).
WOAH encourages reporting by month where the data is available.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Total meat weight of slaughtered animals (tonnes)
The cumulative weight of all meat obtained from animals that have been slaughtered, measured in metric tonnes for a given year, where ‘meat’ means all edible parts of an animal.
Data may be given as dressed carcass weight, excluding offal and slaughter fats. For fish, molluscs and crustaceans it means the total produced weight.
Source: Notification procedure – annual reports
Total number of outbreaks
The number of ongoing outbreaks carried over from the previous month, plus new outbreaks during the current reporting period.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Traceability (Control measure)
Investigation of any epidemiological link of animals/animal products in order to determine the origin and spread of the disease, infection or infestation.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Treatment (Control measure)
Use of veterinary drugs for the purpose of controlling and curing the infection or infestation. This measure does not include supportive treatment.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Vaccinated (quantitative field in the six-monthly report)
The number of animals, or weight, vaccinated as a control measure in response to the outbreak(s) during the reporting period.
Includes emergency, targeted and ring vaccination; excludes vaccination undertaken as part of an official routine vaccination programme. Report numbers per species where applicable. Distinct from the ‘Vaccination in response to the outbreak(s)’ control measure.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Vaccination
Means the administration of a vaccine, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and the Terrestrial Manual, when relevant, with the intention of inducing immunity in an animal or group of animals against one or more pathogenic agents.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Vaccination in response to the outbreak(s) (Control measure)
Emergency, targeted and ring vaccination during the reporting period. Excludes vaccination undertaken as part of a routine vaccination programme.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Vaccination prohibited (Control measure)
As a general control policy, the use of a vaccine to control or prevent the disease or infection is prohibited.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Vector surveillance (Control measure)
Surveillance to demonstrate the presence or absence of vectors to determine areas of different levels of risk, as well as local details of seasonality. It can be used to identify the various vector species present in an area, their respective seasonal occurrence, and abundance.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Verification of the report
The check WOAH staff perform on each submitted report, for data consistency over time among reports from the same country/territory, and against contextual information such as the regional animal disease context and unofficial information.
Where inconsistencies are identified, WOAH staff contact the Member about the appropriate information to display.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Veterinary Authority
Means the Governmental Authority of a Member Country having the primary responsibility in the whole territory for coordinating the implementation of the standards of the Terrestrial Code.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
WAHIS distribution list
The subscription list through which WOAH sends animal disease alerts drawn from validated immediate notifications.
WAHIS Public Interface
The publicly accessible side of WAHIS, showing published reports, dashboards and the events management list.
Only published reports are visible here. Delegates and Focal Points of a country additionally see their own non-validated reports in the authorised-access view, Back Office of WAHIS.
WAHIS reference tables
The controlled lists behind the WAHIS drop-downs — species, diseases, laboratories, diagnostic tests.
Additions or changes are requested through the WAHIS Support Desk rather than entered directly by the user.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
WAHIS Support Desk
The ticketing service for WAHIS questions, data corrections, reference table additions and Article 1.1.5. notifications, at wahis-support.woah.org.
Tickets are routed by Category and Sub-category, and the notification procedures specify which to select in each situation.
Source: Notification procedure – six-monthly reports
Water type (aquatic)
Classification of the water body for a wild aquatic species: brackish water, fresh water, salt water.
Reported per wild species within an outbreak.
Wild
A wild animal is an animal that has a phenotype unaffected by human selection and lives independently without requiring human supervision or control.
In WAHIS this is recorded through the ‘wildlife type’ field on the outbreak. Where the wild species affected is not known, select ‘Incognita’.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
WildEpi
The separate WOAH system for voluntary reporting of non-listed diseases in wildlife.
Wildlife
Means feral animals, captive wild animals and wild animals.
Reported in WAHIS by family, Latin and common name. Where the species is not known, select ‘Incognita’; where it is not in the drop-down, request its addition through the WAHIS Support Desk (Category ‘Dashboards and Data management’, Sub-category ‘Reference tables’).
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Wildlife type
Field recording whether the wild animal reported is wild, captive or feral.
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
Zone
A part of a country defined by the Veterinary Authority, containing an animal population or subpopulation with a specific animal health status with respect to an infection or infestation for the purposes of international trade or disease prevention or control.
Source: WOAH Codes – Glossary
Zoning (Control measure)
Delineation defined by the Veterinary Authority, of part of a country/territory containing an animal population or subpopulation with a specific animal health status with respect to a disease, infection or infestation for which required surveillance, control and biosecurity measures have been applied for the purposes of international trade or disease prevention and control, under the provisions of Chapter 4.4. of the Terrestrial Code.
The aquatic version differs: delineation defined by the Competent Authority, of an area in one or more countries/territories containing an aquatic animal population with a specific aquatic animal health status, under the provisions of Chapter 4.2. of the Aquatic Code (not Chapter 4.4. of the Terrestrial Code).
Source: Notification procedure – immediate notification and follow-up reports
