A foreign animal disease is best described as not present in the United States.

• A. Not present in the United States
• B. Notifiable domestically
• C. Common in wildlife reservoirs globally
• D. Durable in environment

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that a foreign animal disease is defined by its absence in the United States for domestic animals. That makes it foreign or exotic to this country, which is why the most accurate description is that it is not present in the United States. This distinction is what triggers heightened surveillance and rapid response to prevent introduction and spread. The other statements describe characteristics that can apply to some diseases (such as being required to be reported or having wildlife reservoirs or environmental durability), but they do not define what makes a disease foreign.