Bio-security in relation to diseases

Bio-security is a strategic and integrated approach encompassing policy and regulatory frameworks to analyze and manage risks in the sectors of food safety, animal life and health including associated environmental risk. It is a holistic concept of direct relevance to the sustainability of food safety and the protection of the environment, including biodiversity. The term bio-security is interpreted in a variety of ways. Bio-security is defined as protection from risks posed by organisms to the economy, environment and people's health through exclusion, eradication and control. From this perspective, it is therefore, important that our investment in bio-security is driven by the desire to preserve and enhance the value of our unique biodiversity, and the competitive trading advantages that accrue from our disease free status. The term bio-security has an enlarged perception as its also refers to processes and procedures designed to minimize the likelihood that biological research will be misused for the production or enhancement of biological weapons. Bio-security and bio-containment are words describing programmes for infectious disease control that reduce/prevent the introduction of new diseases from outside sources and reduce/prevent the movement of infectious diseases.

The introduction of diseases into new areas may occur through host carrier; introduction of inert materials like packing material, vectors, air currents or deliberate, illegal introductions of bio-weapons which can be curtailed by strict quarantine measures and limitation of diseases by exclusion and preparedness.