ABSTRACT
The role of wildlife as a reservoir for emerging infectious diseases, and their impact on human health as well as on trade and food security requires a close observation of wildlife trade and translocation not only in a regional, but also in a global context. The identification and characterization of hazards and the evaluation of their impact on food safety along the game meat chain follows the same basic rules as for farmed domestic animals. It is generally accepted that wildlife is a reservoir for emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases, and must not be disregarded when shared infectious agents are to be totally eradicated. Globalization has resulted in an unprecedented volume of trade in animals and animal products, which has created new pathways for the supply of wildlife and wildlife products and the resultant release of pathogens of importance to humans, domestic animals, and wildlife animals.
