One Health Publications

“Abstract

Human coronaviruses continue to pose a threat to human health. The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019 which causes coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), an acute respiratory disease marked the third introduction of a highly pathogenic coronavirus into the human population in the twenty-first century. This recent emergence of a previously unknown coronavirus in China leads to huge impacts on humans globally. Covid-19 is a challenge to global public health. Here, we discuss the COVID-19 outbreak in a one health context, highlighting the need for the implementation of one health measures and practices to improve human health and reduce the emergence of pandemic viruses. ”

“… EFSA’s Executive Director, Bernhard Url, said: “For World Food Safety Day 2020 we want to focus on three important features of the EU food safety system – implementing a One Health approach, sustainable food systems and the shared responsibility of food safety. …”

EFSA supports implementing a “One Health” approach because it improves food safety. …”

Editor’s note: This article, Part 2 of 2, summarizes oral and poster presentations from a three-day  meeting of the One Health European Joint Program.

A European project involving foodborne zoonoses research held its annual meeting virtually recently because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second annual scientific meeting of the One Health European Joint Program (OHEJP) on foodborne zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance and emerging threats was planned for Prague in the Czech Republic, but the outbreak meant the in-person part was cancelled.

Organizers decided to host the meeting online with oral and poster presentations. Read part one of this article summarizing these presentations from the three-day event.

“ …  A final thought on the topic: “There is always a silver lining in every cloud, and for COVID-19, I think it just might be a quantum leap for the One Health philosophy.” — Craig N. Carter, DVM, MS, Ph.D.; professor of epidemiology in the Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky.”

Note: Dr. Carter is President of the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society (AVES) and a member of the One Health Initiative Autonomous pro bono Team: Laura H. Kahn, MD, MPH, MPP ▪ Bruce Kaplan, DVM ▪ Thomas P. Monath, MD ▪ Lisa A. Conti, DVM, MPH ▪ Thomas M. Yuill, PhD ▪ Helena J. Chapman, MD, MPH, PhD ▪ Craig N. Carter, DVM, PhD, Becky Barrentine, MBA

“It is thanks to work in animal health and veterinary science that we know first of all that coronavirus vaccines are achievable”

Note: There have been many inquiries requesting an accurate historical account of the “One Health Initiative Autonomous pro bono team” and the One Health Initiative website …

Current One Health Initiative Autonomous pro bono Team:

Laura H. Kahn, MD, MPH, MPP ▪ Bruce Kaplan, DVM ▪ Thomas P. Monath, MD ▪ Lisa A. Conti, DVM, MPH ▪ Thomas M. Yuill, PhD ▪ Helena J. Chapman, MD, MPH, PhD ▪ Craig N. Carter, DVM, PhD, Becky Barrentine, MBA

Prepared by One Health Commission  

“… The epidemiologist Rudolf Virchow, working in the scientific tradition begun by Jenner, coined the term “zoonosis” and argued that human and veterinary health should be studied together as one medicine or, as it is called today, “planetary medicine” and “one health.” Medical advances in the twentieth century led to new vaccines and miraculous antibiotics, which saved millions of lives. But modernity didn’t last. The third zoonotic era began in the 1980s, the dark age in which we currently languish, marked by the unprecedented emergence of new disease. …”

“Dear Dr. Fox*: The One Health Initiative team has posted your commentary about the COVID-19 nightmare, and the urgent need to institute a One Health approach and principles — to this current crisis, and to other global public health, comparative medicine and environmental issues, now and in the future. We greatly appreciate your visionary support and advocacy for One Health. … ”

*Michael W. Fox, BVetMed (equivalent to DVM), MRCVS, PhD, DrSc https://drfoxonehealth.com/, a longstanding One Health concept/approach supporter, is a well-known author, veterinarian, animal advocate and behaviorist.

“We are very excited to have support from CPRIT for building the faculty of our new School of Veterinary Medicine,” said Joseph Heppert, vice president of the Office of Research & Innovation. “One-health research themes developed by faculty like Dr. Tacer will have enormous benefits for both human and animal health. The Texas Tech University System has strong potential for collaboration in one-health research across the Texas Tech and Texas Tech University Health Science Center campuses, and we are extremely proud to be adding new faculty who will capitalize on these opportunities.”

“About the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas

To date, CPRIT has awarded almost $2.5 billion in grants to Texas research institutions and organizations through its academic research, prevention and product development research programs. CPRIT has recruited 181 distinguished researchers, supported the establishment, expansion or relocation of 36 companies to Texas and generated more than $3 billion in additional public and private investment. CPRIT funding has advanced scientific and clinical knowledge and provided 5.7 million life-saving cancer prevention and early detection services, reaching Texans from all 254 counties. In November 2019, voters in Texas approved a constitutional amendment authorizing an additional $3 billion in bonds for cancer research and prevention.”

“… The lack of a species-neutral, “one health” approach to bio-surveillance virtually guarantees we will not detect unusual events in sentinel animal species before the disease has already spread into people. Instead, we humans become the sentinels, exposed to lurking unknown threats that won’t be detected until we end up in emergency rooms or the morgue.  …”

Overgaauw, P.A.; Vinke, C.M.; Hagen, M.A.; Lipman, L.J. A One Health Perspective on the Human–Companion Animal Relationship with Emphasis on Zoonotic Aspects. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 3789.

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Abstract  

Over time the human–animal bond has been changed. For instance, the role of pets has changed from work animals (protecting houses, catching mice) to animals with a social function, giving companionship. Pets can be important for the physical and mental health of their owners but may also transmit zoonotic infections. The One Health initiative is a worldwide strategy for expanding collaborations in all aspects of health care for humans, animals, and the environment. However, in One Health communications the role of particularly dogs and cats is often underestimated. Objective: Evaluation of positive and negative One Health issues of the human–companion animal relationship with a focus on zoonotic aspects of cats and dogs in industrialized countries. Method: Literature review. Results: Pets undoubtedly have a positive effect on human health, while owners are increasing aware of pet’s health and welfare. The changing attitude of humans with regard to pets and their environment can also lead to negative effects such as changes in feeding practices, extreme breeding, and behavioral problems, and anthropozoonoses. For the human, there may be a higher risk of the transmission of zoonotic infections due to trends such as sleeping with pets, allowing pets to lick the face or wounds, bite accidents, keeping exotic animals, the importation of rescue dogs, and soil contact. Conclusions: One Health issues need frequently re-evaluated as the close human–animal relationship with pet animals can totally differ compared to decennia ago. Because of the changed human–companion animal bond, recommendations regarding responsible pet-ownership, including normal hygienic practices, responsible breeding, feeding, housing, and mental and physical challenges conforming the biology of the animal are required. Education can be performed by vets and physicians as part of the One Health concept.

“… Meanwhile, veterinarians are no strangers to zoonotic diseases such as COVID-19, which originate in animals and spread to humans. And, when it comes to public health, they have much to offer when it comes to watching for their emergence and preventing their spread. With this in mind, the One Health initiative is seeking greater collaboration between human and veterinarian medicine. …”

“… ECDC also promotes the One Health approach, a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort to attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment. …”

“… The One Health Action Plan is an approach that aims to address the causes leading to the rise of AMR. These include excessive use of pharmaceutical products, mainly (but not limited to) antibiotics in human and animal medicine (70 percent of all antibiotic use), lack of financial incentives for the industry to research and develop new generations of antibiotics and closing the knowledge gap on the impact that the environment has over the spread of AMR.

Although the Commission’s One Health Action Plan paves the way for how Member States should adopt a holistic approach to tackling AMR, we need to do much more if we want to reverse the current trend. …”

“ One Health

… we should embrace the concept of One Health — the recognition that human, animal and environmental health are inextricably connected. The idea of One Health should figure in our personal consumption choices as well as our political decisions.

In education, health, law enforcement, food, care and every other sector, One Health should be at the heart of thoughtful, responsive and pro-active policy-making and practice. …”

A new review argues that not enough research has analyzed the implications of animals acquiring SARS-CoV-2.

“ … In the absence of this evidence, public health bodies around the world have generally downplayed the role of animals in transmitting the infection.

For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say that “[b]ased on the limited information available to date, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low.”

However, review co-author Prof. Tracey McNamara — from the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, CA — and colleagues argue that “[a]bsence of evidence is not the same thing as evidence of absence.”

According to Prof. McNamara and team: “In the immediacy of the COVID-19 crisis, the focus has understandably been on human health. But we have ignored the opposite side of the coin of emerging zoonotic disease threats — the animals themselves.

“This lack of a One Health approach has resulted in an unnecessary delay in the investigation of important veterinary issues as they pertain to public health. Had we taken a proactive approach, we could have gotten ahead of this.”