One Health Publications

Advancing Health Care in Humans, Animals and the Environment

SEE: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/70270/one-health-pandemic-prevention-climate-health-education-the-importance-of-interprofessional-education-pedagogy

A NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS

Provided by:

“… Public Ignorance, Apathy Toward Avian Flu Could Threaten Containment, Researchers Say

While most US survey respondents had heard of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian flu, only about a quarter knew it can spread to people, and over half were unaware that pasteurized milk is safer than raw milk, finds a survey of approximately 10,000 people recently published in the American Journal of Public Health. Less than one fifth of respondents understood that H5N1 has been detected in cattle. CIDRAP …”

By Salvdor Santino Regilme, PhD

“… The initial drafts of the pandemic treaty articulated a cosmopolitan ethic, acknowledging the intrinsic moral value of all individuals irrespective of nationality and establishing obligations towards the global collective welfare (Anderson, Fenton, and Crump 2025) . These drafts underscored principles such as universal health coverage (UHC), the “One Health” approach (which integrates human, animal, and environmental health), community engagement, and inclusiveness. Collectively, these elements envisioned a comprehensive, multi-sectoral, and genuinely cooperative model for pandemic preparedness. However, subsequent revisions of the treaty have diluted these commitments. The provisions for UHC and One Health were significantly weakened; community engagement and inclusiveness were omitted; and human rights protections were consolidated and stripped of specificity. Concurrently, state sovereignty was elevated to the treaty’s foundational principle. …”

CONCLUSION

A single wild bird-to-cattle transmission event of HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b occurred in late 2023. The spillover was likely preceded by a reassortment event in wild bird populations followed by the movement of cattle that spread HPAI within the US dairy herd. Molecular markers that may lead to changes in transmission efficiency and phenotype were detected at low frequencies. Continued transmission of H5N1 HPAI within dairy cattle increases the risk for infection and subsequent spread of the virus to humans and other host populations.

One Health Initiative

Students at SSVM will be trained in the One Health concept, which focuses on animal welfare, food security and safety, and the prevention of zoonotic diseases—those that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

Zoonotic diseases include COVID-19, SARS, Ebola, HIV, and West Nile virus. The One Health approach recognizes the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment, emphasizing the role of veterinarians in monitoring and preventing emerging diseases. In this way, they hope to protect humans, animals, and the environment.

Students engaging with pet owners can educate them on preventative care, zoonotic diseases, and responsible pet ownership—a key part of One Health’s public health mission. Teaching K-12 students about animal care also introduces the concepts of biosecurity, food safety, and environmental impact, which is also crucial to the initiative. In this way, they hope to protect humans, animals, and the environment.

April 23, 2025

 By Laura H. Kahn MD, MPH, MPP

Co-Founder, One Health Initiative

Website

https://laurakahn.com/

Author, One Health and the Politics of COVID-19

https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/12713/one-health-and-politics-covid-19

Author, One Health and the Politics of Antimicrobial Resistance

https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/title/one-health-and-politics-antimicrobial-resistance

Author, Who’s in Charge? Leadership During Epidemics, Bioterror Attacks, and Other Public Health Crises

https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Epidemics-Bioterror-Security-International-dp-144087817X/dp/144087817X/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=1593276596

“ … Longhorn Advances a Scalable Universal Flu Vaccine

Longhorn Vaccines and Diagnostics has developed a novel universal influenza vaccine, LHNVD-110, designed to protect against human, avian, and swine flu strains, including pandemic variants like H5N1. Presented at ESCMID 2025, the single-composite peptide vaccine uses conserved epitopes from multiple influenza proteins and an ALFQ adjuvant to generate strong, durable immune responses in preclinical models with no observed reactogenicity. Jeff Fischer, MBA, president of Longhorn, emphasized the vaccine’s scalability, year-round manufacturing potential, and advantages over current seasonal flu vaccines. Positioned as a key tool in pandemic preparedness and aligned with a One Health approach, the vaccine and its monoclonal antibody cocktail are expected to enter IND-enabling studies in late 2025, with human trials to follow. …”

A December 2022 study by the Commonwealth Fund, a health-care foundation, estimated that coronavirus vaccines prevented more than 18.5 million U.S. hospitalizations and 3.2 million deaths.