EFVV Ukraine key terms

An infectious disease that can be transmitted naturally between vertebrate animals and humans, either directly through contact or indirectly via food, water, vectors, or the environment.

A disease that must be reported to the competent veterinary authority by law, usually because it threatens animal health, public health, or trade and requires rapid official control measures.

An eradication strategy in which all susceptible and infected animals on affected and contact holdings are slaughtered and disposed of, combined with movement controls and disinfection, to eliminate an outbreak quickly.

The killing of animals selected for removal from a population, carried out for disease control, welfare, or management reasons and performed humanely according to accepted slaughter standards.

The humane induction of death in an animal with minimal pain, fear, and distress, using methods and techniques appropriate to the species and circumstances and performed by a competent person.

The physical and mental state of an animal in relation to the conditions in which it lives and dies, commonly assessed through the five freedoms and indicators of health, behaviour, and stress.

A framework describing minimum welfare requirements: freedom from hunger and thirst, discomfort, pain, injury and disease, and fear and distress, plus freedom to express normal behaviour.

A repetitive, invariant behaviour pattern with no obvious function, such as crib-biting or weaving, often arising in animals kept in restricted or suboptimal environments and used as a welfare indicator.

An animal species in which an infectious agent persists and multiplies long-term, serving as a source of infection for other susceptible animals or humans.

A living organism, typically an arthropod such as a tick, mosquito, or fly, that transmits an infectious agent from one host to another, either mechanically or biologically.

The time interval between entry of an infectious agent into a host and the appearance of the first clinical signs of disease.

An animal that harbours and can shed an infectious agent without showing obvious clinical signs, potentially infecting others and complicating disease control.

An infection that does not produce recognisable clinical signs but may still generate immune responses and allow the agent to be transmitted to other hosts.

The ability of bacteria to survive and grow in the presence of an antimicrobial drug that would normally inhibit or kill them, often acquired through genetic mutation or horizontal gene transfer.

The legally defined minimum time between the last administration of a veterinary medicine to a food-producing animal and the collection of milk, eggs, or slaughter for meat, ensuring residues fall below permitted limits.

The highest concentration of a veterinary drug residue, such as an antimicrobial or antiparasitic, legally permitted in food of animal origin, set to protect consumer health.

The responsible, prudent use of antimicrobial drugs, including correct diagnosis, appropriate drug and dose selection, and avoidance of unnecessary treatment, to preserve effectiveness and limit resistance.

The study of what the body does to a drug over time, covering absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, and determining the drug concentration at target tissues.

The study of what a drug does to the body, including its mechanism of action at receptors and the relationship between drug concentration and the resulting physiological or therapeutic effect.

The proportion of an administered dose of a drug that reaches the systemic circulation unchanged, expressed as a percentage and influenced by route of administration and formulation.

A measure of drug safety calculated as the ratio between the dose producing toxicity and the dose producing the desired therapeutic effect; a low index indicates a narrow margin of safety.

A substance administered to counteract the toxic effects of a poison, either by binding it, blocking its action, or accelerating its elimination from the body.

A pathological condition resulting from exposure to a toxic substance, which may be acute or chronic and can affect specific organ systems such as the liver, kidneys, or nervous system.

The harmful effect produced in an animal by ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact with a toxic agent, often requiring rapid identification of the substance and supportive or antidotal treatment.

The maintenance of a stable internal environment within narrow physiological limits, achieved through coordinated regulatory mechanisms involving the nervous, endocrine, and other body systems.

A regulatory mechanism in which a change in a physiological variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change, helping to restore and maintain homeostasis.

A chemical messenger secreted by an endocrine gland or cell into the bloodstream, where it travels to target tissues and modulates their activity.

The largest compartment of the ruminant forestomach, where microbial fermentation of plant material produces volatile fatty acids, and where absorption and mixing of ingesta occur.

The process in ruminants in which regurgitated ingesta is re-chewed and re-swallowed to reduce particle size and enhance microbial digestion, occurring in regular cycles.

The compartment of the ruminant stomach adjacent to the rumen, involved in mixing ingesta and in the eructation reflex that releases fermentation gases.

The use of chemical agents on living tissues, such as skin or wounds, to reduce or eliminate microorganisms and prevent infection during surgery or wound care.

The set of practices and procedures used to prevent microorganisms from entering a surgical site or sterile field, including sterilisation of instruments and use of sterile barriers.

The application of chemical or physical agents to inanimate objects and surfaces to destroy or inactivate most pathogenic microorganisms, though not necessarily bacterial spores.

The combination of management practices and physical measures designed to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious agents into and within animal holdings.

The isolation of animals for a defined period, often with testing, to prevent the introduction or spread of infectious disease before they join a herd or enter a country.

A written or electronic order from a veterinarian authorising the dispensing and administration of a specified veterinary medicine to a named animal or group, with dose, route, and duration stated.

The principles and standards of conduct governing veterinary practice, including honesty, integrity, animal welfare, competence, and avoidance of conflicts of interest.

The examination of animal carcasses and organs after slaughter to detect disease or contamination and decide on fitness for human consumption.

The examination of live animals before slaughter to assess health, detect signs of disease or welfare problems, and determine whether they are suitable for slaughter for human consumption.