[cid:image001.gif@01CD9D9C.FE5EFF30] FAO: higher risk of Rift Valley Fever with heavy rainy season ahead [cid:image006.jpg@01CD9DAB.02FB8960]FAO is advising veterinary services in sub-Saharan Africa to intensify surveillance for Rift Valley fever (RVF), which is a mosquito-borne zoonosis - affecting both animals and humans. Rift Valley fever in the past has often only been detected once human cases occur. However, by heightening surveillance - for example, in sentinel animal herds - and monitoring climate data, the disease can be identified early, before the Rift Valley fever virus can be passed from animals to humans....[Read full news<http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/news_280912.html>] ________________________________ Emerging Infectious Diseases (EIDs) - the lurking threat to livestock development and food security [cid:image007.jpg@01CD9DAB.02FB8960]Early detection of pathogens circulating and/or emerging in animal populations is a public and animal health priority. The USAID-funded Identify project helps FAO to build laboratories' capacity for early detection and diagnosis of diseases, enabling rapid response to emerging issues...[Read full news<http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/home/en/news_archive/AGA_in_action/2012_Emerging_Infectious_Diseases.html>] ________________________________ [cid:image008.png@01CD9DAB.02FB8960]FAO Reference Centres for Animal Health The FAO's Animal Health Service is designating institutions as FAO Reference Centres according to revised corporate policy. FAO plans to designate about 50 Reference Centres in the field of animal health...[Read full news<http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/partners/en/ref_centres.htm>] ________________________________ In the media ::: In defence of bats Thestart.com: The benefits of bats far outweigh the deadly diseases they transmit, says a new UN Food and Agriculture Organization report that hopes to alter common misconceptions about the winged creatures...[Read full article<http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1260416--in-defence-of-bats>] EMPRES website ::: http://www.fao.org/AG/empres.html For comments or suggestions ::: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Follow us on Twitter ::: @FAOAnimalHealth<https://twitter.com/#!/FAOAnimalHealth> ######################################################################## To unsubscribe from the EMPRES-Livestock-L list, click the following link: &*TICKET_URL(EMPRES-Livestock-L,SIGNOFF);