Role of Veterinarians and One Health in the Fight against Zoonoses

Role of Veterinarians and One Health in the Fight against Zoonoses

Dr Jitendra kumar, Dr Poonam Yadav

Department of Veterinary Gynaecology & Obstetrics Jabalpur

(PhD Scholar)

Department of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry Jabalpur

(PhD Scholar)

College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry Jabalpur,

NDVSU Jabalpur M.P-482001

Corresponding author: jitendrasingh263@gmail.com

Abstract:

Zoonoses are diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans. The organisms causing zoonoses include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other parasites, with both domestic and wild animals acting as reservoirs for the pathogens. Zoonoses comprise interaction between at least three species: one pathogen and two host species (animals and humans). They can be transmitted directly by contact with infected animals (e.g. rabies, through bite), via contaminated environment (e.g., anthrax) and via food (e.g., campylobacteriosis) or indirectly via vectors, such as mosquitoes or ticks (e.g., West Nile fever and Lyme disease, respectively).There are many factors influencing the zoonoses diseases. The convergence model organizes the potential factors into a series of broad domains that include: socioeconomic and biological factors; ecological and environmental factors; and the interface of domestic animals, wildlife, and human factors. Zoonoses have affected human health throughout times, and wildlife and domestic animals have always played a role for the transmission of the disease which is public health threats worldwide. So success in the preventing and controlling of major zoonoses depend on the capability to mobilize resources in different sectors and on coordination and intersectoral approaches, especially, between national (or international) veterinary and public health services.

Keywords: Public health, Risk factors, Veterinarian, Zoonoses.

 Introduction:

Zoonoses are diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans . Worldwide, an estimated 60–70% of emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonoses and large proportions originate from wildlife. They can be transmitted directly by contact with animal (example, rabies, through bite), via contaminated environment (example, anthrax) and via food (e.g. campylobacteriosis) or indirectly via vectors, such as mosquitoes or ticks (West Nile fever, and Lyme diseases, respectively) . Zoonotic disease organisms include that are endemic in human population or enzootic in animal populations with frequent crossspecies transmission to people. The greatest burden on human health and livelihood, amounting to about one billion cases of illness and millions of death every year, is caused by endemic zoonoses that are persistent regional health problems around the world . The organisms causing zoonoses include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other parasites, with both domestic and wild animals acting as reservoirs for the pathogens. The diseases cause in humans range from mild and self-limiting (e.g., most cases of toxoplasmosis) to fatal (e.g., Ebola hemorrhagic fever). In United Kingdom food is thought to be the most common source of zoonotic diseases . Because these diseases come from animals, prevention and control strategies need to be innovative and require the combined efforts of many fields . Zoonoses with domestic and wildlife reservoir represent a large spectrum of transmission modes. The dynamics of zoonotic disease transmission are deeply embedded in the ecology and evolutionary biology of their hosts. Many zoonoses with a wildlife origin are spread through insect vectors. For vector-borne zoonoses the ecology is complicated because of the ecology of numerous other vectors and reservoir host species which can change transmission dynamics . Ancient account and modern hypotheses suggest that Alexander the Great, who died in Babylon in 323 BC, died of encephalitis caused by West Nile virus, a virus that has a wide wild bird reservoir. Marr and Calisher reported that as Alexander entered Babylon, a flock of ravens exhibiting unusual behaviour died at his feet .

Transmission modes of zoonoses disease:

Zoonoses with domestic and wildlife reservoir represent a large spectrum of transmission modes. The dynamics of zoonotic disease transmission are deeply embedded in the ecology and evolutionary biology of their hosts. Zoonoses comprise interaction between at least three species: one pathogen and two host species, with, people and another animal species acting as the reservoir of the infection. They can be transmitted directly by contact with animals (e.g. rabies, through bite), via contaminated environment (e.g., anthrax) and via food (e.g. campylobacteriosis) or indirectly via vectors, such as mosquitoes or ticks (e.g. West Nile fever and Lyme disease, respectively). Increasing demands for food due to an expanding global population has led to a substantial susceptibility of our population to zoonoses .

A good example of zoonotic agent with many different transmission modes is Salmonella. Reptile-associated salmonellosis is well- described phenomena, especially among children. Keeping reptile and other exotic pet animals as pets presents a public health problem; such animals are carriers of salmonellosis  and thereby can infect humans directly or indirectly. In 1987, a nationwide outbreak of S. Typhimurium infection was traced to chocolate bars that had been contaminated by wild birds in the factory. In 1999, a water-borne outbreak of S. Typhimurium infection was linked to a dead seagull that had contaminated a reservoir water source from which the water was used untreated .

The role veterinarians fight against zoonoses:

Since zoonoses can infect both animals and humans, the medical and veterinary communities should work closely together in clinical, public health, and research settings. In the clinical setting, input from both professions would improve assessments of the riskbenefit ratios of pet ownership, particularly for pet owners who are immunocompromised. In public health, human and animal disease surveillance systems are important in tracking and controlling zoonoses The bond between humans and animals has been recognized for many years, and pet ownership has been associated with both emotional and health benefits. However, pet ownership may also pose health risks through the zoonotic transmission of infectious diseases, especially, compromised individuals . Since human medicine often does not delve deeply into the role of animals in the transmission of zoonotic disease agents and veterinary medicine does not cover the clinical aspects of human disease, zoonotic disease control requires involvement of both physicians and veterinarians . It is especially important that both veterinarians and physicians are involved in the control of zoonotic disease because the latter do not usually consider the role of animals in the transmission of disease and the former do not receive extensive training on clinical aspect of human disease. However, success in the preventing and controlling of major zoonoses depend on the capability to mobilize resources in different sectors and on coordination and intersectoral approaches, especially, between national (or international) veterinary and public health services. So closer collaboration between veterinarians, physicians and public health professionals is needed and veterinary and medical communities should work closely together in clinical, public health and research setting.

Population health collaborations:

At the population level, zoonotic pathogens cause disease outbreak (food-borne, water-borne, and arthropod-borne). Recognizing whether human and animal outbreaks were simultaneous would provide important information for identifying the causative pathogens and developing control strategies communications between the veterinarians, public health officials, and physicians who were involved in the outbreak response at the local level. As an emergency, short-term measure, veterinarians could have expressed their concerns directly to the hospital epidemiologists in the area to be on the lookout for a possible human impact from an unknown disease that was causing widespread severe neurologic symptoms and death in wild birds. Such rapid, direct communication between veterinarians and physician epidemiologists could be particularly important in states in which local public health agencies either do not exist or are not involved in zoonotic disease reporting or investigation . The magnitude of the problem of zoonoses illustrates why the efforts of medicine, veterinary medicine, and public health need to overlap. Taylor and others identified 1,415 infectious agents and found that 868 (61%) could be transmitted between animals and humans . They found that zoonotic diseases were twice more likely to be associated with emerging or newly discovered infections thannonzoonotic pathogens and that viruses and protozoa were the zoonotic pathogens most likely to emerge. RNA viruses, in particular, have been identified as highly likely to emerge. These agents include WNV, avian influenza virus, Hantavirus, and severe acute respiratory syndromeassociated coronavirus . Animal disease reporting and oversight are split between different agencies in some states. This is the situation at the federal level and has prompted a recent National Academy of Sciences report to recommend that a federal-level, centralized coordinating mechanism be established to improve collaboration and cooperation among all the players in animal health oversight, including industry and local, state, and federal agencies .

https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/role-of-veterinarians-and-one-health-professionals-in-preventing-zoonoses/

Conclusion:

Zoonoses are diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and man. Worldwide, an estimated 60–70% of emerging infectious diseases in humans are zoonoses and large proportions originate from wildlife. Due to the behavioural and demographic change with the need of human, zoonoses risk also increases from time to time in the World. The effects of zoonoses are not limited to the health risk of both humans and animals, socioeconomic effects are also major problems. If controlling zoonotic diseases is to be improved, greater communication and collaboration between veterinarians, physicians, and public health officials are needed. Generally, the effect of zoonoses increase from time to time and the magnitude to health problem in humans and animals population is increasing dramatically. Therefore, based on the above conclusion the following recommendations are forwarded:

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