For decades, the scientific and healthcare community has stressed the importance of addressing human, animal, and environmental health by recognizing that they are all closely related. However, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for a “One Health” approach has become even more apparent. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19 disease, is another example of zoonotic pathogens, underscoring the need for close collaboration between the human and animal healthcare sectors to prevent and control these infectious diseases.
In addition, there are many human diseases such as influenza, Ebola, and West Nile fever, that also affect animals. We can avoid the spread of these diseases by preventing and treating these diseases in animals. Plus, vector-borne diseases, like mosquito-borne malaria, dengue and Zika, are also a major concern for human health. These diseases can be transmitted by animals, like in the case of bats that transmit the West Nile virus and monkeys that can transmit the yellow fever virus. These kinds of preventions depend on a “One Health” perspective that addresses both animal welfare and environmental health.
The animals we consume also play a big role in the One Health perspective. Production animals that carry illnesses like avian influenza can spread to humans if we consume their contaminated meat. For this reason, it is imperative for production animals to be raised in proper sanitary conditions and should be treated accordingly with proper medication in a responsible and regulated manner.
Domestic animals also play an important role in the One Health perspective since dogs and cats can have a direct impact on the health of their owners. For example, dogs can transmit Lyme disease to humans through ticks, causing a rash and flu-like symptoms. Meanwhile, cats can transmit toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by a parasite found in their feces or in contaminated water. This disease can cause serious complications for pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
The role of the WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been a major advocate of the One Health approach by establishing projects to address zoonotic diseases and promote collaboration between the human, animal and environmental health sectors. According to the WHO, 75% of emerging pathogens are zoonotic in nature. This is why the WHO collaborates with international organizations and national institutions that are in charge of animal welfare to improve rapid detection of emerging pathogens and ensure coordination of rapid control measures.
Thus, the “Taking a Multisectoral, One Health Approach” guide emerged in 2019. This guide was jointly developed by tripartite organizations (FAO, WHO and WOAH) to address zoonotic diseases in countries (e.g. food safety and antimicrobial resistance (AMR)). This guide provides principles, best practices, and options to help countries achieve sustainable and functional collaborations across the human-animal-environmental levels. The guide also includes examples and lessons from the experiences of different countries.
The case of the U.S.
This is the first time the United States is looking to incorporate the concept of “One Health” through federal legislation, thereby establishing an important milestone for national health policy-making. In the Covid-19 era, “One Health” is becoming increasingly relevant. According to the WHO, this concept is defined as: A unifying, integrated approach seeking to balance and optimize public health, animal welfare, and environmental protection with a sustainable approach. Simply put, this means public health is closely related to animal welfare and the health of our collective environment.
At the end of 2022, Congress passed the One Health Framework with the support of various civic organizations, including the American Veterinary Medical Association. This text, which is framed in the 2023 Budget Act, essentially grants Federal agencies a year to both develop and submit a national framework that can collaboratively address zoonotic diseases and promote public health preparedness. Given how little of these issues have bipartisan support, this is a tremendous accomplishment that has received support from Republican and Democratic Senators as well as Members of Congress.
The Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior will receive public funds to implement this policy. These Federal agencies must develop plans to prevent, detect, control and respond to zoonotic diseases. While this is a step forward, there are still many questions about the implementation of these policies since it requires coordinating multiple agencies across Federal, State, and local levels. During the Covid-19 pandemic, we witnessed the response disparity among various states across the United States because of the lack of coordination between Federal and local agencies. Many of these agencies operate in silos, where there is a limited exchange of information and resources, and where the law does not clearly define who has the authority to implement certain policies.
In addition, one of the other challenges for the implementation of the One Health policy involves the need to work across the scientific and medical fields. Oftentimes, animal welfare is seen as a secondary issue, and that is precisely what this policy seeks to remedy. In order to successfully implement this policy, we will need to coordinate resources and the decision-making process, together with the private sector.
Agricultural and food manufacturing companies have to work alongside public agencies in order to meet the annual increase in demand. This increase in demand exerts pressure on the production of all types of products, which in turn creates risks for the population. The United States’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is continuously monitoring zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted to humans, the most common of which is salmonella.
Of course, this is not the only existing disease, and as the human population grows and extends into new geographic areas, then other diseases may spread rapidly across borders and across the globe. That is why, although this initiative now marks an important milestone in the way health policy is created at the national level and may be the key to prevent future zoonotic epidemics in the United States and around the world, there is still a long way to go. There are still many initiatives that need to be implemented in 2023. Now more than ever, it is important that governments take a unifying and collaborative approach to address these types of diseases and protect the health of all species on our planet.
The success rate of the One Health approach will be determined by the implementation rate and the holistic and collaborative process between entities, companies, and governments. It also demonstrates the importance of addressing complex health threats through a multi-sectoral approach, given the significant impact that these diseases can have on our overall health, our lives, and the economy.
Francisco Márquez Senior Advisor LLYC USA
