The One Health Initiative is a movement to forge co-equal, all inclusive collaborations between physicians, osteopathic physicians, veterinarians, dentists, nurses and other scientific-health and environmentally related disciplines, including the American Medical Association, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Nurses Association, American Association of Public Health Physicians, the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. National Environmental Health Association (NEHA).
The goal of the One Health movement is for collaborations to form in between disciplines and for communication in every aspect of care for humans, animals, and the environment worldwide.
One of the major topics that the One
Health initiative addresses is zoonotic diseases and infections. A zoonotic disease is one that can be passed between both humans and animals. These diseases and infections are very common and can include bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. It is estimated that approximately 6 out of 10 infectious diseases that are passed through humans, are spread from animals. A zoonotic disease can be contracted by:
- Coming in contact with blood, saliva, feces, or urine of an infected animal.
- Being bitten by a vector (tick or mosquito).
- Eating or drinking unsafe animal products.
Some extremely common zoonotic diseases are:
- Hookworm, Round worm, or Ring worm - Hookworms are primarily transmitted fecal-orally to animals. Your pet may eat contaminated feces or dirt, or he might run through contaminated soil, then lick his paws and ingest the eggs in that manner. Roundworms are large, and spaghetti-like in appearance. And they can create a full-blown infestation in your pet before you know they’re there. Although the name suggests otherwise, ringworm is not caused by a worm at all-but a fungus. This highly contagious infection can lead to patchy areas of hair loss on a dog, and can spread to other animals-and to humans, too.
- Salmonellosis - an infection with a bacteria called Salmonella, Salmonella live in the intestinal tracts of animals, including birds. Salmonella are usually transmitted to humans by eating foods contaminated with animal feces.
- Leptospirosis - Leptospirosis is an infection of bacterial spirochetes, which dogsacquire when subspecies of the Leptospira interrogans penetrate the skin and spread through the body by way of the bloodstream.
- Lyme Disease - Lyme disease is a vector-borne illness. The vector is the vehicle of transmission, in this case it is the Ixodes tick, also known as the deer tick or black-legged tick.
- Giardia Infection - Giardia infection is an intestinal infection marked by abdominal cramps, bloating, nausea and bouts of watery diarrhea. Giardia infection is caused by a microscopic parasite that is found worldwide, especially in areas with poor sanitation and unsafe water.
Although these diseases can be very dangerous, there are several ways to protect yourself and your family from them!
- Always remember to wash you hands after touching animals and using the bathroom.
- Handle your food safely and remember to follow proper guidelines.
- Prevent bites from vectors like ticks and mosquitos.
- When traveling, be aware of local zoonotic diseases and infections.
"One Health Initiative Will Unite Human and Veterinary Medicine." One Health Initiative. One Health, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
"Zoonoses | Top 5 Diseases You Can Get from Your Pet." Mercola.com. Healthy Pets, 24 Aug. 2010. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
"Ringworm Infection in Dogs." WebMD. ASPCA, 2005. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
"Salmonellosis." Causes and Symptoms of. MDH, 10 Mar. 2015. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
"Bacterial Infection (Leptospirosis) in Dogs." Bacterial Infection (Leptospirosis) in Dogs. Pet MD, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Giardia Infection (giardiasis)." - Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, n.d. Web. 06 Apr. 2016.
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