Organisation of veterinary public health in Australasia and the Pacific Islands.

The authors present the structure and functions of the Veterinary Public Health Services in Australasia and the Pacific Islands. Services in the region range from the extensive and highly developed organisations of Australia and New Zealand to those meeting the needs of the subsistence agriculture economies of some of the smaller island groups. Geographic isolation and strict quarantine measures have kept the region free from serious infectious animal diseases, and veterinary public health efforts are concentrated on preventing and combating epizootic diseases.