Introduced at the beginning of the millennium, the “One Health” concept expresses in a few words the acknowledgement that human health and animal health are interdependent and related to the ecosystems in which they coexist, according to an announcement from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
Diseases of animal origin that can be transmitted to humans, such as avian influenza, rabies, Rift Valley fever and brucellosis, pose global threats to public health. Other diseases that are mainly transmitted from person to person also circulate in animals or have a known animal reservoir and are susceptible to causing serious health crises, as the recent epidemic of Ebola virus demonstrated. These risks grow stronger with globalization, climate change and changes in human behavior, all of which provide opportunities for pathogens to colonize new areas and evolve into new forms, OIE said. Read More