In this review, Joaquim Segalés, director of the Centre
de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA, at IRTA, Spain),
and Mònica Balasch, associate director of Veterinary
Medicine Research and Development at Zoetis (Spain),
aim to discuss the need, design, use and benefit of utilising
animal infection models. This is an efficient method to
develop vaccine products able to reduce the impact not only
of human diseases and zoonotic pathogens transmitted by
animals, but also diseases causing significant economic
problems in livestock.