What does the term exotic animal disease (EAD) refer to in this context?

The term exotic animal disease (EAD) specifically refers to diseases that affect exotic species, which typically include non-domesticated animals such as reptiles, birds, and other wildlife that are not commonly found in standard agricultural or domestic settings. In global health, understanding EAD is critical as these diseases can have significant implications for biodiversity, agriculture, and even public health, depending on their potential for transmission to domestic animals or humans.

While domestic animal diseases, aquatic animal diseases, or farm animal diseases are important areas of study, they do not encompass the full scope of what "exotic" implies. Exotic animals represent those species that may be less familiar to the general populace and may have different health management needs. Thus, categorizing exotic animal diseases helps in targeted surveillance, prevention, and control strategies that may differ fundamentally from those employed for diseases in more common domestic or farm species.