One world,One health: Prevent Zoonoses!
Aishwarya Dash
Student 1st Year BVSc & AH, Institute of Veterinary Science & Animal Husbandary Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar-751003
Since time immemorial humans and animals have cohabited together. There is a long history of human association with domestic animals, and nowadays pets are protectors, companions, benefactors, co-workers, and even best friends. Human need animal in their lives to stay mentally healthy and even emotionalysound.Similarly, animals need human beings as their care taker, for compassion and affection. Thus they are interedependent on each other.
The interdependence and cohabitation of human and animal have some positive and negative effects on each other.One such effect are Zoonoses. A zoonosis or zoonotic disease is an infectious disease of humans caused by a pathogen (an infectious agent, such as a bacterium, virus, parasite or prion) that can be transmitted from a non-human (usually a vertebrate) to a human and vice versa. Zoonoses can be classified as:
- Bacterial zoonoses :- e.g. anthrax, plague, salmonellosis, lyme disease.
- Viral zoonoses :- e.g. rabies, arbovirus infections, yellow fever, influenza.
- Rickettsial zoonoses :- e.g. murine typhus, tick typhus, scrub typhus, Q-fever.
Dr. Virchow, a German pathologist became interested in the linkages between human and veterinary medicine while studying a roundworm, Trichinella spiralis, in swine. He coined the term “zoonosis” to indicate an infectious disease that is passed between humans and animals. He is known as the Father of Zoonosis. Zoonoses is from a Greek word: zoon meaning “animal” and nosos meaning “sickness”.
Zoonoses have different modes of transmission. In direct zoonosis the disease is directly transmitted from non-humans to humans through media such as air (influenza) or through bites and saliva (Rabies). In contrast, transmission can also occur via an intermediate species (referred to as a Vector), which carry the disease pathogen without getting sick. When humans infect non-humans, it is called Reverse zoonosis or anthroponosis. Host genetics plays an important role in determining which non-human viruses will be able to make copies of themselves in the human body. Dangerous non-human viruses are those that require few mutations to begin replicating themselves in human cells. These viruses are dangerous since the required combinations of mutations might randomly arise in the natural reservoirs.
Causes:
The emergence of zoonotic diseases can be directly coorelated with the domestication of animals.Zoonotic transmission can occur in any context in which there is contact with or consumption of animals, animal products, or animal derivatives. This can cause due to companionistic (pets), economic (farming, trade, butchering, etc.), predatory (hunting, butchering or consuming wild game) or on research context where animal and human interaction is present.
Lately, there has been a steep increase in frequency of appearance of new zoonotic diseases. “Approximately 1.67 million undescribed viruses are thought to exist in mammals and birds, up to half of which are estimated to have the potential to spill over into humans” says a study led by researchers at the University of California, Davis. Recent studies suggest that of 1,415 pathogens known to infect humans, 61% were zoonotic According to a report from the United Nations Environment Programme and International Livestock Research Instituted a large part of the causes are environmental like climate change, unsustainable agriculture, exploitation of wildlife and land use change.
What is one health?
One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. One Health is not new, but it has become more important in recent years. This is because many factors have changed interactions between people, animals, plants, and our environment.
These changes have led to the spread of existing or known (endemic) and new or emerging zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that can spread between animals and people. Every year, millions of people and animals around the world are affected by zoonotic diseases. Examples of zoonotic diseases include:
- Rabies
- Salmonella infection
- West Nile virus infection
- Q Fever (Coxiella burnetii)
- Anthrax
- Brucellosis
- Lyme disease
- Ringworm
- Ebola
Common One Health issues
One Health issues include emerging, re-emerging, and endemic zoonotic diseases, neglected tropical diseases, vector-borne diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety and food security, environmental contamination, climate change and other health threats shared by people, animals, and the environment. For example:
- Antimicrobial-resistant germs can quickly spread through communities, the food supply, healthcare facilities, and the environment (soil, water), making it harder to treat certain infections in animals and people.
- Vector-borne diseases are on the rise with warmer temperatures and expanded mosquito and tick habitats.
- Diseases in food animals can threaten supplies, livelihoods, and economies.
- The human-animal bond can help improve mental well-being.
- Contamination of water used for drinking, recreation, and more can make people and animals sick.
Even the fields of chronic disease, mental health, injury, occupational health, and noncommunicable diseases can benefit from a One Health approach involving collaboration across disciplines and sectors.
The One Health approach can:
- Prevent outbreaks of zoonotic disease in animals and people.
- Improve food safety and security.
- Reduce antimicrobial-resistant infections and improve human and animal health.
- Protect global health security.
- Protect biodiversity and conservation
How to protect yourself and your family from zoonotic diseases?
People can come in contact with animals in many places. This includes at home and away from home, in places like petting zoos, fairs, schools, stores, and parks. Insects, like mosquitoes and fleas, and ticks bite people and animal day and night. Thankfully, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your family from zoonotic diseases.
- Keep hands clean. Washing your hand right after being around animals, even if you didn’t touch any animals, is one of the most important steps you can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.
- Always wash your hands after being around animals, even if you didn’t touch the animals.
- Many germs are spread by not washing hands properly with soap and clean, running water.
- If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Because hand sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs, it is important to wash your hands with soap and water if they are available.
- Know the simple things you can do to stay safe around your pets.
- Prevent bites from mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.
- Learn more about ways to handle food safely—whether it’s for yourself or your family, your pet, or other animals.
- Be aware of zoonotic diseases both at home, away from home (such as at petting zoos or other animal exhibits), in childcare settings or schools and when you travel.
- Avoid bites and scratches from animal
Way forward
Surveillance of animal health should be strictly ensured. It is crucial to track the globally emerging new outbreaks. There should be strong interdisciplinary network of partners to improve surveillance and monitoring. The awareness of farmers, livestock managers, and environmentalists should be increased regarding the OH approach and zoonotic diseases. A national disease registry of zoonotic diseases needs to be developed. Increased use of technology to improve the living environment of animals and monitoring and treatment of diseases should be motivated. Prevention through increased vaccination coverage should be targeted. Based on the learning from the use of OH approach to combat zoonotic diseases globally, best practices need to be developed and adopted.
References
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