What is a biosecurity measure? A definition proposal for animal
production and linked processing operations
Abstract
As part of the One Health European Joint Programme, the project
“Biosecurity practices for pig farming across Europe” (BIOPIGEE) aims
to establish an inventory of relevant biosecurity measures that reflects
their effectiveness in reducing the occurrence of Salmonella spp.
and hepatitis E virus (HEV) in European pig production. While the term
“biosecurity” is well defined, a harmonized definition of the term
”biosecurity measure” (BSM) is missing. In consequence, there is a
lack of clarity, understanding and acceptence, on which measures can be
considered BSMs. Without clarity and acceptance, it is hard to achieve
broad and effective implementation of BSMs along the food production
chain and support at government policy level. Therefore, a BIOPIGEE task
group i) collected and discussed relevant inclusion and exclusion
criteria for measures to be considered in the context of biosecurity and
ii) screened the scientific literature for potentially existing
definitions for the term BSM. This exercise confirmed the lack of a
definition of BSM, and underlined the importance of the topic. In the
pool of articles considered relevant to defining the term ‘biosecurity
measure’, specific research themes were identified. Based on these
outcomes, we propose a definition of the term BSM: “A biosecurity
measure (BSM) – is the implementation of a segregation, hygiene, or
management procedure (excluding medically effective feed additives and
preventive/curative treatment of animals) that specifically aims at
reducing the probability of the establishment, survival, or spread of
any potential pathogen to, within, or from a farm, operation or
geographical area.” The definition provides a basis for further
agreement on a harmonized definition of the term BSM and an advanced
communication of best biosecurity practices to relevant stakeholders.