Veterinary Profession ‘Significant’ than Ever
Dr Pushpendra Singh Rathore
PGDM-ABM, M.V.Sc. (Microbiology)
Emailid—pushpvet@gmail.com; Mob: 7427857231
Veterinary Officer
Department of Animal husbandry, Gov. of Rajasthan
Abstract
Humans continue to interact with pets, livestock, zoo and wild animals. Constantly changing conditions such as the climate, human habitats and wildlife habitats link the environment, people and animals together. Keeping this in mind, our efforts to keep food and water sources safe, protect the environment, and safeguard people and animals from diseases must also overlap. This can only be done by realizing the importance of veterinary profession, by enabling the veterinary fraternity to have their say in this whole process of public health set up, so that they can work hand in hand with the medical, environmental and epidemiological experts and can effectively deliver in this uncertain era of emerging and reemerging of zoonoses.
Keywords: Veterinary, Economy, Zoonoses, One health
Contribution of Veterinary profession in the National economy
Veterinary Services continue to strive and work endlessly in order to address the food security and safety, as well as livelihoods of farmers (breeders), thus ensuring safe food provision for entire human populations and also actively contributing in the economic growth of the country
India continues to be the largest producer of milk in world with 209.96 million tonnes (2020-21). Poultry population in India has grown by leaps and bounds in last few decades, currently the total poultry population in our country is 851.81 million and egg production is around 122.05 billion (2020-21). The per capita availability during 2020-21 is around 90 eggs per annum (dahd.nic.in). Similarly India’s share in meat and wool production is also constantly increasing.
The problem of emerging and reemerging Zoonoses
It is one example that indicates how health of people is affected by wellbeing of animals and environment. It has been scientifically proven that at least 75% of emerging diseases have a zoonotic origin, having diverse animal species as their primary reservoirs. An example is the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), an important economic disease of domestic poultry that evolves from low-pathogenic viruses that circulate in the environment in wild bird populations. While we are in the midst of an ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, there have been other infections in recent years, amongst the more prominent examples are: zoonotic influenza (Bird Flu), pandemic human influenza (H1N1), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), West Nile fever, yellow fever and Zika virus. Worrying examples of these zoonoses include epidemics and/or pandemics such as the Spanish flu, Avian Influenza, Ebola, SARS and MERS. All the etiological agents involved in those cases were more or less found in animals and spread in humans.
As we are discussing zoonoses, first human infection with the H3N8 strain of bird flu has been recorded in China. Last year first human case of H10N3 was also reported in China (as per news published in Times of India). This trend makes it necessary to conduct and intensify studies, in which veterinarians can be handed over the task and responsibility to identify and reveal the detection, identification, risks, surveillance and other epidemiological aspects involved in the transmission of an infectious agent to and fro from the animal, environment, and human interfaces.
Classification of zoonoses as per etiological agents:
Bacterial zoonoses– Anthrax, Brucellosis, Plague, Leptospirosis,
Salmonellosis etc.
Viral zoonoses– Rabies, Influenza, CCHF etc.
Rickettsial zoonoses– Scrub typhus, Q-fever etc.
Protozoal zoonoses— Toxoplasmosis, Trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis
Helminthic zoonoses– Hydatid disease, Taeniasis etc.
Fungal zoonoses– Deep mycosis – histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, superficial dermatophytes etc.
Ectoparasites—Scabies etc.
In India, where approximately 70%of population lives-in rural areas in close contact with large domestic animal population and that includes pets and wild animal habitation also, zoonotic diseases assume great public health significance. However, because of inadequate diagnostic facilities still at bay for larger population masses, unfamiliarity of physicians with these diseases and lack of communication and co-ordination between physicians, veterinarians, and epidemiologist, the extent of their existence is obscured and goes unreported at times.
Current scenario emphasizes the necessity to reunite all of the involved stake holders and entities to avoid lack of control and therefore to properly handle any situation arising in the case of new emerging zoonotic diseases. This summarizes the veterinarian’s role in public health, framed in the One Health concept and when we consider animal interaction, the complexity of these challenges becomes even more evident. The magnitude of the problem of zoonoses quite clearly depicts, why the efforts of human medicine, veterinary medicine, and public health need to overlap
Some specific actions for involving veterinary professionals can be summarized as:
- Interdisciplinary approach– Clear and consistent communication and coordination among relevant animal and human health partners across different streams, is the need of the hour to most effectively prevent and control zoonoses. Veterinarians are especially important in wildlife surveillance and epidemiological studies which becomes a fundamental parameter in the control of emerging zoonoses.
- With the involvement of veterinary community, specific animal models can be developed that shows similarity to human responses and should be used to carry out vaccine and treatment tests before being applied to humans.
- Veterinarians can show their skills and expertise in comparative medicine that covers field studies in prevention of zoonoses that may involve the monitoring of diseases occuring naturally in animal populations that can signal potential threats to human health.
- Many of the Veterinary epidemiologists and ecologists have supported in the past and are currently engaged with their medical counterparts in tracking and tracing the disease in humans and thus are helping in development of effective public health interventions. Veterinarians, especially in the field of immunology and molecular biology, are working at the forefront of the one health response at various levels.
- Physicians may find it particularly helpful to reach out to veterinarians for information on a zoonotic disease history, risk of transmission of infectious disease among humans. In addition interdisciplinary meetings, sharing contact information with veterinarians through patients can be a useful proposition.
One Health
It is a concept interconnecting human, animal and environment. It encompasses different stake holders such as veterinarians, doctors, scientists, wildlife biologists, zoo keepers, livestock breeders, farmers and environmentalists. Today’s world is a closed loop and one health is all about communication, collaboration, disease detection, surveillance, education and prevention. One health concept helps in early detection prevention and control of human health emergencies and it also helps in mitigation of epidemics and zoonoses
Need for One Health Concept
It has been well established that majority of infectious diseases in last two or three decades have originated from animals and that too from wildlife. As per WHO, 60% of human diseases are zoonotic in nature. Close contact with animals and their environment provides opportunity for various diseases to pass among humans and animals.
There are many factors that have contributed to the demand for conceptualization of one health concept, to name a few:
- Climate change
- Change in land use pattern
- Changes in human life style and behavior
- Population explosion
- Loss of biodiversity and destruction of forests
Major hindrances in effective implementation of one health concept
There are many factors that affect the implementation and outcome of one health concept
- Zoonoses
- Antimicrobial resistance—As per WHO, resistance occurs when a microorganism becomes susceptible to a previously non susceptible drug. Resistant bacterial strains have emerged and have spread throughout the world because of the remarkable genetic plasticity of the microorganisms, heavy selective pressures of use, and the mobility of the world population. The problem of indiscriminate use of antibiotics and the problem of spread of resistant genes have emerged as the major challenges that have threatened the very survival of mankind. These issue must be addressed by the collective action of governments, the pharmaceutical industry, health care providers, and consumers.
- Vector borne diseases
- Food safety and security
- Environmental contamination
In 2010, FAO, OIE and WHO started collaborative work to address risks at the human-animal-ecosystems interface.
Conclusion
Variations in human behavior across different countries and regions, different human socio economic activities, such as the consumption and sale of wild animals, ignorance and avoidance of food security rules, the advance of urbanization into rural areas, encroachment in to forest areas, and constant direct and indirect contact with animal reservoirs are recognized as the main risk factors leading to various zoonotic outbreaks. To avoid future emerging zoonoses, it is necessary to be prepared and the most effective way includes applying the conceptualization of the One Health doctrine in these actions. Despite being the least talked about link, the veterinarian must assume a position of leadership in research and actions that primarily involve detection, prevention and surveillance, which must be undertaken by different government authorities, organizations as an important part of maintaining public health, especially related to emerging and reemerging zoonoses.
References:
https://www.pashudhanpraharee.com/role-of-veterinarians-in-animal-welfare/
