378 What animal diseases tell us: stories of human and animal migrations on the Balkan route(s) and the role of veterinarians in humanitarian assistance

Abstract EP3.5, e-Poster Terminal 3, September 5, 2025, 13:05 - 13:30 In 2015, the world faced an unprecedented migration crisis, with over 700,000 people crossing the Western Balkan route. This migratory corridor presents significant health challenges, including the overlooked role of animals in migrants’ economic assets, food sources, and psychological support. However, the interplay between migrants’ livelihood activities and animal presence within the Balkan route context remains underexplored. Human migration has been linked to the spread of small ruminant transboundary animal diseases (TADs), including Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Sheep and Goat Pox (SGPX), and zoonotic Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF). TADs are suspected to spread through trade and uncontrolled movements. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the interplay between human migration along the Balkan route and TADs through a One Health approach. The study analyzed epidemic trends of PPR, SGPX, and CCHF (2013-2024) and assessed migration-related risks through a literature review. It also examined the role of animals in migration settings by analyzing policies and conducting semi-structured interviews with experts and migrants. Findings suggest that while human migration is not directly responsible for TADs’ spread, overlaps exist, indicating informal trade networks might follow migration routes. Experts and migrants confirmed the presence of livestock, companion animals, and pests in camps, stressing the need for veterinary support in humanitarian interventions. Yet, the conducted policy analysis revealed that animal presence remains neglected in health guidelines, showing a persistent anthropocentric approach to infectious diseases control. The divergence between policy formulation and migrants’ livelihood habits shows a limited implementation of the One Health approach to control infectious diseases within the migration context. Animals hold psychological and cultural significance to migrants, which should be acknowledge in policy formulation through transnational (and multidisciplinary) measures. Hence, future research should investigate how migrants’ voices could contribute to culturally sensitive methodologies that comprehensively acknowledge human-animal interplay along migration routes.