Infectious disease control and animal health
Do you suspect that an animal has contracted a serious infectious disease? Report it immediately to a veterinarian. The veterinarian must, at the earliest opportunity, report the suspected infectious disease to the County Administrative Board and the Swedish Board of Agriculture. There are regulations in place to prevent the spread of infection. If you have a visitor facility, then this must be reported to the County Administrative Board.
Mandatory reporting for owners of animals
If you are responsible for an animal and you suspect that it has been infected with a serious infectious disease, then you are obliged to report it immediately to a veterinarian. Examples of serious infectious diseases are avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, anthrax, swine fever, bluetongue, rabies and Newcastle disease.
Mandatory reporting for veterinarians
Epizootic diseases and salmonella
A veterinarian, who suspects that an animal has been infected with an Epizootic disease or salmonella, is obliged to urgently report it to the County Administrative Board and the Swedish Board of Agriculture via e-mail or telephone.
Other animal infectious diseases subject to mandatory reporting
There are other animal infectious diseases that can be transmitted to animals, or between animals and people, and that are subject to mandatory reporting. In these cases, mandatory reporting applies to veterinarians as well as to those working with autopsies or in laboratories.
Clinical suspicion of animal infectious diseases
A veterinarian is obliged to report the following animal infectious diseases to the County Administrative Board if clinical suspicion exists:
- equine influenza type A
- strangles
- equine abortion virus (central nervous form)
- equine viral arteritis (EVA)
- MRSA (all types of animals).
Report clinical suspicion of animal infectious diseases
Veterinarians must report to the County Administrative Board in the county where the infected animal is kept.
The e-services and forms of the County Administrative Board in this field are not available in English. If you wish to submit an application or notification, you may contact the County Administrative Board, which can inform you how to proceed.
Hygiene regulations within animal husbandry
In order to prevent the transmission of infections between animals and people, there are general hygiene regulations within animal husbandry. It is important that there is the possibility for people at a facility with animals to be able to wash and disinfect their hands. The regulations do not apply if you only have animals in your own home.
Hygiene regulations for those with visitor facilities
There are specific hygiene regulations for those with visitor facilities where the visitors have the opportunity of direct contact with the animals. The visitors must have the possibility to wash and disinfect their hands in close proximity to the animals. There must also be information available for the visitors explaining how they can reduce the risk of spreading infections between animals and people.
The regulations for visitor facilities apply if you have food producing animals, horses or other types of animal husbandry. It even applies if you have assistance dogs.
The County Administrative Board monitors compliance with the hygiene regulations.
Report visitor facilities
If you have a visitor facility with three or more visits per year, then you must report this to us.
The e-services and forms of the County Administrative Board in this field are not available in English. If you wish to submit an application or notification, you may contact the County Administrative Board, which can inform you how to proceed.
Transportation of animal waste
In order to prevent the spread of infection from animal waste (dead animals and slaughter waste), there are regulations regarding its use and handling. It is for example prohibited to use food waste containing meat or other animal products as feed for pigs or birds. On the Swedish Board of Agriculture's website there is more information about the handling of animal waste.
Feed and feeding with animal by-products, Swedish Board of Agriculture (in Swedish) External link.
The County Administrative Board inspects transports of animal by-products. To transport such material, you must be registered with the Swedish Board of Agriculture.
Application form for professional transport of animal by-products (in Swedish) External link.
Who does what within animal infectious disease control?
The Swedish Board of Agriculture has the overall national responsibility for disease control and for combating infectious diseases. The County Administrative Board has regional responsibility. The County Veterinarian coordinates information about the current status of infectious diseases in the county.