ONE WORLD, ONE HEALTH: PREVENT ZOONOSES!
Mamta*, R Sirohi, A Kumar, DN Singh and Y Singh
Department of livestock production management, DUVASU, Mathura.
Regardless of geography or socioeconomic class, zoonotic illnesses harm everyone and they need to be controlled globally. Human animal and plant health are interdependent and bound to the health of the ecosystem in which they exists. As per World Health Organization, One Health is defined as, “an approach to designing and implementing programmes, policies, legislation and research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together to achieve better public health outcomes”. In simple words, One Health, is a collaborative approach to health which acknowledges that human and animal share the same environment and to ensure the health, it is important to address the issues at the level of intersection of several different sectors.
Animals became party to the interplay of triad of One Health i.e., man, animal and environment, since the beginning of domestication. Domestication, one of the major factors in development of early human civilization, is the mutual relationship between animal and human, where human controls the care and breeding of animals. Domestication is the process of adapting wild animals for human use. It was not just spontaneous, it is interesting to note that there were certain characteristics of animals which favoured their domestication like;
The size and organization of their social structure- large social group, true leadership, hierarchical group structure, males affiliated with female groups are favourable characteristics for domestication contrary to family grouping, territorial structure and males living in separate groups.
The availability and the degree of selectivity in their choices of mates- promiscuous mating, males dominant over females, and sexual signal provided by movement or postures are favourable characteristics contrary to pair bonding, male must establish dominance over or appease female and sexual signal provided by colour marking or morphological structures.
The ease and speed with which the parents bond with their young, maturity and mobility of the young at birth– presence of critical period in the development of species bond (imprinting etc.), female accept other young soon after parturition or hatching and precocial young are favourable characteristics for domestication contrary to where species bond established on the basis of specific species characteristics, young accepted on the basis of species characteristics and altricial young.
The degree of flexibility in diet and habitat tolerance– omnivorous feeding habits are favourable contrary to specific dietary habits.
The response to human and new environment, including flight responses and reactivity to external stimuli- adaptation to wide range of environmental conditions, short flight distance to man, little disturbed by man or sudden changes in environment and limited agility are favourable characteristics for domestication of animals.
The progenitor of domestic species probably did not possess all the indicated characteristics but it is unlikely that a species with all the unfavourable characteristics could be domesticated successfully. Who could be a more capable guard than a lion, so why didn’t humans domesticate them? It’s because they didn’t perceive any potential for tameness and flexibility in terms of the required favourable characteristics for domestication. Domestic animals are chosen for their calm disposition and propensity to reproduce in confinement. Herbivores that graze on vegetation are the easiest animals to domesticate because they are the easiest to feed. Humans do not need to slaughter other animals to feed them, nor do they need to cultivate any particular crops, domesticating cows would have been simple.
We took advantage of their adaptability to domesticate them, and even now, for our convenience, we are putting too much stress on it. Over the time, we exploited these favourable behavioural characteristics for our benefits. But we need to mind the narrow gap turning this exploitation into disaster. Now, we are exploiting their adapting ability and trying it hard for instance, cannot deny the odd consequences of cross breeding with regard to animal comfort and behaviour yet we are avoiding them.
As it is said that, there is enough in the world to meet human needs, but not to satisfy human greed. The positive aspect of zoonotic diseases to animals is that they have caused people to care about animal welfare as a whole. The idea of “One World, One Health,” which is based on the comprehension that people, animals, and the environment are inextricably linked, suggests that people have suddenly realised the connection between ecology, animal diseases, and public health, and are working to maintain and restore harmony and synergy.
The transition from hunting and gathering wild food resources to the control and husbandry of domestic animals had a significant impact on the evolution of infectious diseases. Through bringing animals together in larger, denser herds, in close association with human communities a suitable channel was formed for exposing human to the animal – borne illnesses.
Infectious disease emergence rates have sharply increased over the past century, and new viruses have been found in wildlife. However, by acting as amplification agents for infections that come from the wild, domestic animals may also have a significant impact on the spread of infectious diseases in people. Determining how domestic hosts influence the genesis of human illnesses has become very crucial.
Zoonoses are a growing global concern, especially in low- and middle-income nations. People who often interact with animals run a significant risk of catching and spreading zoonotic diseases. Farming practises have changed significantly in recent decades. Production has become more industrialised as a result of keeping more animals at higher densities and breeding and feeding practises that are optimised for optimal output. The welfare of farm animals that we raise for food is significantly impacted by these changes, and some zoonotic diseases may become more dangerous for both humans and animals.
Intensive cattle farming, agribusiness, the trade in exotic animals, increased human encroachment into wildlife areas, global transit networks, and urbanisation have all disturbed the interaction between people and animals. The exponential growth in the human population and environmental exploitation enhance the possibility and severity of zoonotic disease spillover, even though infections have always been transferred from animals to humans. The classical points to control zoonoses are –
Maintaining Personal Hygiene
- After handling an animal, wash your hands.
- Avoid eating or drinking in the places where animals are housed.
- When handling animals, put on coveralls, farm-specific attire, or lab coats.
- Avoid handling animals that are ill or have sores without putting gloves.
- If there is feed or bedding dust present, wear a mask.
- Avoid going into the facilities that house farm animals if you are ill.
- Whenever you clean an animal area, always use gloves.
Environmental Protection
- Keep the areas where animals are housed tidy and organised.
- Faecal dust produced by dry faeces can be breathed. Prevent faecal and urine accumulation. There is less chance of horizontal or zoonotic spread in clean rooms.
- Proper ventilation safeguards both employees and animals.
- Remove bedding and food from the floors. Litter attracts vermin, and rodents can bring in zoonotic diseases.
Upkeep of animal Herd/Flock
- Check on the health of the animals every day.
- Maintain record of sick or dead animals.
- Track the development of any illnesses. Note the development or history of the animal sickness.
- Take note of any health issues, such as diarrhoea, breathing issues, depression, or immobility.
- Cleaning the areas around sick animals should be done with great care. Avoid spreading potential germs.
- Affected animals should be isolated as necessary.
Yet it is important to understand that, the management of all zoonoses consequences might not even be possible with a conventional One Health approach which is a holistic approach to environmental sustainability, animal health, and human health. To curb the spread of zoonotic diseases, if we take into consideration the idea to close live animals markets, it may look acceptable from the perspective of ensuring the global health security, at the same time question also arises that does it take into account economics, culture, and society preferences? As markets for animals not only provide food, income, but also it is a means of social cohesion for communities. Market closure may drive animal trading underground and the elimination of oversight and control may have a negative impact on animal care, sanitation, and cleanliness. This can increase risk instead of lowering it. Safe, practical, and sustainable solutions will come from cross-specialty, interdisciplinary, and international collaboration, not from the health and environmental sectors alone.
However, implementing a true One Health plan to prevent the emergence, spread, and devastation, which zoonotic diseases do to the society, goes far beyond just environmental and health issues. Discussions about their related risk reduction, capacity building, and surveillance require participation from anthropologists, economists, social and political scientists, among other experts. Also, to address the issue, stakeholders from the business, travel, and tourism sectors must all participate.
