Transboundary Animal Diseases and Human Migration: A One Health Perspective on the Balkan Route

Transboundary animal diseases (TADs), including zoonoses, can be introduced in non-endemic areas through animal trade and uncontrolled movements during times of conflict and migration. Sheep and goat pox (SGPX) and peste des petits ruminants (PPRs) were, respectively, reported in Europe in 2018 and 2010. EFSA emphasised the risk of spread into Europe through informal trade and unmonitored migration routes that may involve the informal transport of small ruminants. Using a One Health conceptual framework, which considers the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, this study analysed the epidemic trends of the two selected diseases during 2014-2025, with particular focus on the role of human migrations in influencing their spread along major migratory routes in the Balkan Peninsula. The conceptualisation of animals in migration settings was investigated through the scrutiny of policies and semi-structured interviews to experts and people who travelled the route. The presence of small ruminants, companion and pest animals was confirmed in formal and informal camps. The results underscore the relevance of animals in the migration contexts of the Balkan routes, as well as the risks associated with their presence in settlements in the absence of an adequate management. Our findings seem to suggest that human migration along the Balkan routes is not directly responsible for the spread of TADs, as there is no evidence of significant animal movements accompanying migrants. However, our results show a possible role of informal trade networks following human migration paths along the Balkan route, while a possible role of informal trade networks, following human migration paths along the Balkan route, deserves to be further investigated.