One World, One Health: Prevent Zoonoses, Stop the Spread

One World, One Health: Prevent Zoonoses, Stop the Spread

Dr. Anil Choudhary^1*, Dr. Himanshu Saini²

¹Assistant Professor, Dept. of Veterinary Anatomy, Sri Ganganagar Veterinary College,

Tantia University, Rajasthan (INDIA) – 335001

²PhD Scholar, Dept. of Livestock Production Management, College of Vety. and Animal Sci.,

RAJUVAS, Bikaner, Rajasthan (INDIA) – 334001

*Corresponding Author Email – saharanil0407@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The concept of One Health takes into consideration the fact that health of humans, animals and the environment are all integral to each other. However, it is possible to discover how these three spheres are interconnected from the scientific point of view as such article presents a plethora of examples. It explores spread of diseases from animals, increased use of antimicrobials and climate change as well as ecosystem health and its relation to human health. The article then proceeds to review the tenets of One Health where scholars put more emphasis on interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral approach. Some of the One Health goals and its various successes are also described. Last of all, the article examines the prospects of producing a One Health concept and the problems that exist in its application, noting that the topic is of great significance to the health of peoples, animals, and the world as a whole.

KEYWORDS: One Health, zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, ecosystem health, collaboration, interdisciplinary approach

1. INTRODUCTION

The One Health approach has gained significant traction in recent years, particularly in light of global health challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This concept challenges the traditional siloed approach to health, recognizing that human health, animal health, and environmental health are inextricably linked. Nevertheless, new diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and awareness of the interdependency of ecosystems make it mandatory to revise the concepts. However, this critical interface is recognized by the One Health approach as all the three entities, human, animal, and the environment are interconnected. In this article, the author will outline what One Health is, discuss its fundamentals, the different success stories, strengths and weaknesses of One Health, and its overall future.

2. THE INTERRELATION OF HUMAN, ANIMAL, & ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

2.1 Zoonotic Diseases: A Bridge Between Species

A basic principle of One Health is zoonotic diseases, diseases that are easily transmitted between animals and human beings. Recent estimates suggest that up to 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans have an animal origin. The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a stark reminder of the potential for animal pathogens to cause global human health crises. Other significant zoonoses include avian influenza, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, HIV/AIDS, Ebola and Rabies.

High risk factors such as close interaction between animals and humans through intensive farming methods, expansion of human settlements into wildlife areas and movement of animals through trade facilitate emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases. For example, deforestation causes fragmentation of habitats of wildlife, which puts them in direct contact with humans and domestic animals, thus giving a potential pathogen spillover chance. The COVID-19 pandemic as well as multiple other diseases are the proof that humans should not underestimate the link between the health of animals and the health of people.

2.2 Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): A Global Health Threat

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a pressing concern in both human and veterinary medicine. AMR has been promoted by the excessive and irrational utilization of antibiotics in humans and animals. AMR happens when the microbes develop ways of resisting the chemicals that are supposed to eliminate them from the body. For instance, the administration of antibiotics in animal farming increases the prevalence of resistant bacteria, which can be transmitted to humans either through contaminated food products or through direct contact with the animals. This is a huge risk to world health and may make most diseases easily incurable.

In veterinary public health, efforts are being made to promote responsible antibiotic use in animal husbandry. This includes implementing stricter regulations on antibiotic use in food animals, promoting alternatives such as probiotics and vaccines, and improving biosecurity measures in animal production systems.

2.3 Climate Change: Implications for Animal and Human Health

Global warming and climate change affect human beings, animals, and even the environment. Temperatures cause changes in the weather patterns, resulting in increased emergence and incidence of diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. Reduced precipitation results in water-borne diseases and food insecurity as agricultural productivity is affected by rain patterns. Climate change also forces animals from their homes, thereby raising possibility of contact between humans and animals, and possibility of spreading of zoonotic diseases.

From a veterinary public health perspective, we’re observing changes in the distribution of animal diseases, shifts in vector populations, and impacts on food animal production. For example, bluetongue virus, a disease of ruminants, has expanded its range in Europe due to climate change-induced shifts in its midge vector distribution. Similarly, the northward expansion of the lone star tick in the United States has led to an increase in alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy in humans.

2.4 Ecosystem Health: The Foundation of One Health

The ecosystem is very important in ensuring that both human and animal health is well maintained. They purify our air and water, control essential natural functions such as pollination and flood regulation, and offer critical resources like food and medicine. However, these essential services are being threatened by factors such as deforestation, pollution, climate change among others. This degradation results in emergence of new diseases, a distortion in food chain and decline in bio-diversity which in one way or the other affects health of man and his domestic animals.

In public health, we recognize that healthy ecosystems support both animal and human health. For instance, intact forest ecosystems can serve as a buffer against zoonotic disease emergence by maintaining natural host-pathogen dynamics. However, ecosystem degradation through deforestation, urbanization, and intensive agriculture can disrupt these natural balances. This can lead to increased human-wildlife conflict and create opportunities for pathogen spillover events.

3. THE CORE PRINCIPLES OF ONE HEALTH

One Health is an approach which is steeped in interdisciplinary and trans-disciplinary collaboration with the view of solving health problems that involve humans, animals and the environment. This is because the emphasis on collaboration is underpinned by one of the following core principles:

• Interdisciplinary Approach:One Health acknowledges that for there to be cooperation, there is a need to use experts from different disciplines such as human health, animal health, environmental health, and social sciences. These essentials bring multi-disciplinary qualities to the domain, thereby facilitating a more sophisticated analysis of the multifaceted aspects of health issues and the possibility to generate superior practices.
• Sectoral Collaboration:One Health doctrine requires diverse government departments, international bodies and private sector entities including public health, agriculture, and environmental agencies to work together. One could be that there is need for cross-sectoral collaborations between agriculture ministries and public health agencies when tackling AMR in food production, for instance.
• Surveillance and Early Detection:Early detection and reaction is key to prevent the occurrence of zoonotic diseases, and to deal with other One Health issues. This entails strong surveillance systems that can efficiently track outbreaks in animals and humans as well as environmental settings.
• Risk-Based Approach:Funding in the One Health sphere should be deployed where it has the most to lose. This necessitates continuous risk analysis to detect new risks and classification into high and advantageous risk categories.
• Communication and Capacity Building:For One Health initiatives to be successful, effective communication is integral. This requires that a unifying one health message, ideally phrased consistently across disciplines and sectors to demonstrate the interlinks, is communicated enacted and spread. Another important aspect is developing capacity in developing countries for better implementation of One Health strategies. If necessary, this may include training select personnel from different sectors, developing strong surveillance systems & enhancing the infrastructure for disease prevention and control.

4. THE ONE HEALTH APPROACH IN ACTION: SUCCESS STORIES

Several case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the One Health approach:

• Nipah Virus Control in Malaysia:Malaysia was hit by an outbreak of Nipah virus, a zoonotic disease arising from pigs to humans in 1998-99. We identified the source of the Karnivera bat strain in full-bats and control measures were implemented quickly, including culling of infected pigs, through a One Health effort with collaboration between veterinarians, public health officials, and wildlife experts. By acting this quickly, the spread of the virus was relatively shut down. [Chua et al., 1999].
• Ebola Outbreak Response:The 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa illustrated the importance of One Health to one such response effort. The collaboration of human and animal health personnel, ecologists and social scientists has rapidly identified disease and instigated contact tracing, as well as producing vaccines and treatment protocols. Jointly, these created the pressure needed to get the outbreak under control. [Mondela et al., 2014].
• Integrated Vector Management:Malaria continues to pose a serious public health challenge. Integrated Vector Management One Health approaches encourage the use of integrated vector management (IVM), which is the blending of conventional mosquito control methods – insecticide spraying, for example – with environmental changes and community involvement. The integrated strategy of ditching and draining and breeding site manipulation is quite successful in controlling mosquitoes and preventing malaria [WHO, 2013].
• Rabies Control:Rabies elimination efforts in many countries have successfully employed a One Health approach. For example, mass dog vaccination campaigns combined with improved access to post-exposure prophylaxis for humans have led to significant reductions in human rabies cases in several countries.
• Avian Influenza Response: The global response to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks has exemplified One Health in action. Collaboration between animal health and public health sectors has been crucial for early detection, rapid response, and effective control of outbreaks in poultry, reducing the risk of human infections.
• Food Safety:One Health approaches have been successful in addressing food safety issues. For instance, integrated surveillance of Salmonella in animals, food products, and humans has led to more effective control strategies in many countries.

These examples showcase the potential of One Health to address a wide range of health challenges. However, the implementation of this approach faces significant hurdles.

5. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Overcoming Obstacles:

Despite its proven benefits, implementing the One Health approach faces several challenges:

• Institutional Barriers:In the past, human and animal health and environmental agencies have operated largely in isolation. Blending these various institutional silos and cultivating cross-sectoral collaboration takes time and dedication on the part of everyone committed to working around better with dam building.
• Funding Limitations:There are constraints on funding to support One Health implementations. It is still quite difficult to fund the government, international organizations, and the private sector.
• Capacity Building Needs:While One Health strategies are a priority, the expertise and infrastructure needed to effectively deliver them may not exist in all regions or countries. Developing capacity, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is critical to global health security.
• Public Awareness:Raising public awareness about the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health is critical to gaining broad-based support for One Health efforts.

Harnessing Opportunities:

Despite these challenges, several factors present opportunities for advancing the One Health agenda:

• Emerging Infectious Diseases:The numerous incidences of zoonotic diseases, like COVID-19, should act as a warning sign for the close ties between environmental health and human-animal relations. This being an emergent trend could help increase commitment to One Health approaches. Governments, international organizations and philanthropic bodies are increasingly seeing the need for pooling resources together in order to fight emerging infectious diseases.
• The Rise of Global Health Security:Global health security is based on the idea that health threats can spread across national borders. The campaign for global cooperation and concerted action perfectly corresponds with the fundamentals of one health principles. Remittances from investments in global health security initiatives can be important contributions towards One Health infrastructure development.
• Technological Advancements:The technological advancements create a fascinating opportunity to promote the One Health agenda. In areas such as genomics, disease surveillance and communication technologies, there are many advances that can improve our ability to detect, monitor and respond to health threats at the human-animal-environment interface. Real-time disease surveillance systems, for example, could enable prompt detection of outbreaks thus allowing for quicker and more effective response.
• One Health Education and Training:It is essential that principles of One Health are embedded in veterinary medicine curricula as well as those for physicians, environmental scientists and other relevant disciplines so that we have a workforce capable of tackling complex health challenges. Policymakers’ and community leaders’ training programs may also foster an all-round understanding towards health and lead to the adoption of One Health policies.
• Community Engagement:Public engagement is vital for the success of One Health initiatives. Fostering community awareness about the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health builds public support and encourages behavioural changes that can contribute to a healthier future for all. Engaging with communities also allows for the incorporation of local knowledge and perspectives into One Health strategies, enhancing their effectiveness.

6. FUTURE DIRECTIONS:

The future of One Health in veterinary public health is promising, with several key areas for development:

1. One Health in Education:Integrating One Health concepts into veterinary, medical, and public health curricula to prepare future professionals for collaborative approaches to health challenges.
2. Technological Advancements:Leveraging new technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning for better disease prediction and surveillance.
3. Policy Integration:Working towards better integration of One Health principles into national and international health policies.
4. Community Engagement:Developing strategies to better engage communities in One Health initiatives, recognizing the importance of local knowledge and practices.
5. Quantifying One Health:Developing standardized metrics to measure the impact and cost-effectiveness of One Health interventions.

7. CONCLUSION

The framework of One Health approach is a powerful tool to counteract the complex problems of the current health and wellbeing of the 21st century. It brings together disciplines and professions, concentrates on risk analysis as a basis for interventions and develops expertise in many areas. Thus, it opens the way to a more holistic, interconnected future for humans, animals and our common environment. To overcome these barriers requires an all-inclusive effort from governments, international organizations, private sector and civil society. These include taking advantage of new infectious diseases, technological development in healthcare services and increasing global health concerns which can help us to push forward the One Health agenda thereby fostering a world where human health depends on animal wellness as well as environmental integrity.

8. REFERENCES

Caminade, C., Bhattacharya, S., Dettwyler, K. A., & Roque, A. E. (2014). How climate change affects vector-borne diseases. Frontiers in Public Health, 2, 27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4342958/

Chua, K. B., Goh, K. J., Wong, K. T., et al. (1999). Fatal encephalitis due to Nipah virus among pig-farmers in Malaysia. The Lancet, 354(9196), 1815-1819. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673699042993/fulltext

Daszak, P., Cunningham, A. A., & Hyatt, A. D. (2000). Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 15(12), 573-577. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10642539/

Jones, K. E., Patel, N. G., Levy, M. A., et al. (2013). Global trends in emerging infectious diseases. Nature, 499(7456), 409-416. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5960580/

Lambin, E. F., Turner, B. L., Geist, H. J., et al. (2006). The emergence of land use change as a global land project. Journal of Land Use Science, 1(1), 17-27.

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