Point-of-Care Diagnostics in Animal Health: Advancing Rapid Disease Detection

Animal diseases often progress faster than conventional laboratory diagnostics can respond, particularly in intensive livestock systems and resource-limited settings. Delayed diagnosis can facilitate rapid disease spread, economic losses, and increased zoonotic risks. Point-of-care testing (POCT) has emerged as a vital tool in veterinary medicine by enabling rapid, on-site diagnosis at farms, clinics, markets, and wildlife interfaces. POCT platforms bridge the gap between disease suspicion and confirmation, supporting timely treatment, isolation, and control measures. The rising burden of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases—driven by intensified animal production, increased animal movement, wildlife–livestock interactions, and climate variability—has further emphasized the importance of rapid diagnostics within the One Health framework. Diverse POCT technologies, including lateral flow assays, dipstick immunoassays, isothermal molecular methods, CRISPR-based diagnostics, biosensors, and molecularly imprinted polymers, offer advantages such as speed, portability, and affordability. Despite challenges related to sensitivity, standardization, and regulatory oversight, ongoing technological advances are strengthening the role of POCTs in disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness, and sustainable animal health management