There are state, national and international reportable diseases, some of which are foreign animal diseases while others are USDA Program Diseases. Reportable diseases may also be zoonotic. To understand the differences and similarities, each is defined below.

Foreign Animal Diseases (FADs)
FADs include diseases or pests of terrestrial or aquatic animals not known to exist in the United States or its territories that may involve livestock, poultry, wildlife, or other animals. (Source: USDA-APHIS-VS) These diseases are sometimes called transboundary animal diseases.

Transboundary animal diseases are defined as those that are of significant economic, trade and/or food security importance for a considerable number of countries; which can easily spread to other countries and reach epidemic proportions; and where control/management including exclusion, requires cooperation between several countries. (Source: United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization)

USDA Program Diseases
Programs have been established jointly among federal-state-industry stakeholders to control and/or eradicate specific diseases or pests of livestock and poultry. Diseases may be designated as USDA Program Diseases because they are serious zoonotic diseases, are economically important, or are of concern to the livestock, poultry, or aquaculture industries. Some examples include bovine tuberculosis, trichinosis in swine, chronic wasting disease in cervids, and equine infectious anemia. More details will be provided under the USDA Program Disease section of this module.

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