14.4 One Health approach to emerging viral threats
4 min read•august 1, 2024
Emerging viral threats don't play by the rules. They jump between animals, humans, and environments, causing chaos. That's where the approach comes in, tackling these threats from all angles.
One Health brings together experts from different fields to fight viral outbreaks. By looking at the big picture - how viruses spread between species and ecosystems - we can catch threats early and stop them in their tracks.
One Health Concept
Interconnected Health Approach
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Top images from around the web for Interconnected Health Approach
Frontiers | Emerging Zoonotic Diseases: Should We Rethink the Animal–Human Interface? View original
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Frontiers | The One Health Concept: 10 Years Old and a Long Road Ahead View original
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The interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health | Pursuit by The University of ... View original
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- One Health adopts a collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approach recognizing the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health
- Works at local, regional, national, and global levels to achieve optimal health outcomes for all species and ecosystems
- Addresses increasing threat of emerging viral diseases by considering factors such as habitat destruction, climate change, and human-animal interactions
- Promotes holistic understanding of disease ecology including reservoir hosts (bats), vectors (mosquitoes), and environmental factors contributing to viral emergence and spread
Relevance to Emerging Viral Diseases
- Particularly relevant due to frequent zoonotic origin of emerging pathogens (SARS-CoV-2) and their complex transmission dynamics
- Focuses on early detection, rapid response, and prevention of viral outbreaks through integrated surveillance systems and coordinated interventions
- Addresses viral threats by examining events from animals to humans (Ebola virus)
- Considers how ecosystem changes affect viral emergence and transmission patterns ( leading to increased human-wildlife contact)
Integrating Health Disciplines
Zoonotic Disease Management
- Recognizes inextricable link between human health and health of animals and environment in context of emerging viral threats
- Emphasizes importance of studying zoonotic spillover events and ecological factors facilitating viral transmission between species
- Integrates surveillance systems for both human and animal populations to detect potential viral threats early and monitor their spread
- Promotes development of vaccines and therapeutics considering both human and animal health, as well as potential environmental impacts
Environmental Health Incorporation
- Examines how ecosystem changes affect viral emergence and transmission patterns
- Deforestation increasing human-wildlife contact
- altering vector habitats
- Encourages implementation of biosecurity measures in agriculture and wildlife management to reduce risk of viral transmission between animals and humans
- Improved farm hygiene practices
- Wildlife trade regulations
- Involves collaborative research on viral evolution, host adaptation, and environmental persistence to inform comprehensive risk assessment and management
- Studying bat coronaviruses in their natural habitats
- Monitoring avian influenza in migratory bird populations
Interdisciplinary Collaboration
Expertise Integration
- Brings together expertise from various fields to address complex viral threats comprehensively
- Virology, epidemiology, veterinary medicine, ecology, public health
- Enables development of more effective surveillance systems detecting viral pathogens in multiple species and environments simultaneously
- Integrated human-animal disease surveillance networks
- Identifies and analyzes complex interactions between human activities, animal populations, and ecosystems contributing to viral emergence
- Studying impact of agricultural practices on zoonotic disease transmission
Enhanced Research and Communication
- Facilitates sharing of resources, technologies, and data across disciplines, leading to more rapid and efficient responses to emerging viral threats
- Collaborative efforts for new viral strains
- Promotes development of integrated intervention strategies addressing multiple aspects of disease transmission and control
- Combined vector control and vaccination programs
- Enhances understanding of viral evolution and adaptation, informing development of more effective vaccines and antiviral therapies
- Studying antigenic drift in influenza viruses
- Equips teams to communicate complex scientific information to policymakers and public, improving overall preparedness and response to viral outbreaks
- Developing clear risk communication strategies for emerging threats
One Health Benefits vs Challenges
Potential Benefits
- Improves early warning systems for emerging viral threats and more comprehensive strategies for and control
- Global influenza surveillance network
- Leads to more efficient use of resources by avoiding duplication of efforts across different sectors and promoting synergistic interventions
- Integrated vector control programs for multiple diseases
- Enhances global health security by strengthening capacity for coordinated responses to viral outbreaks across national borders
- International outbreak response teams
Implementation Challenges
- Overcoming institutional and disciplinary silos hindering collaboration between human, animal, and environmental health sectors
- Differing priorities between public health and agricultural departments
- Resource limitations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, impeding establishment of integrated surveillance systems and coordinated response mechanisms
- Lack of laboratory capacity for zoonotic disease testing
- Differences in regulatory frameworks and policies across sectors and countries complicating implementation of One Health strategies on global scale
- Varying animal health regulations between nations
- Balancing competing priorities and interests among stakeholders from different disciplines and sectors, challenging in practice
- Reconciling economic interests with public health measures
Key Terms to Review (18)
Biodiversity loss: Biodiversity loss refers to the decline in the variety and variability of life forms within a given ecosystem or on Earth as a whole. This phenomenon is often caused by factors such as habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species, all of which can significantly impact ecosystems and their ability to function. Understanding biodiversity loss is crucial for addressing emerging viral threats, as healthy ecosystems contribute to the resilience against disease emergence.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a national public health institute in the United States, focused on protecting public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability. The CDC plays a crucial role in monitoring health trends, conducting research, and providing guidelines that inform both public health policies and practices, especially during outbreaks or emerging health threats. Its comprehensive approach includes data collection, analysis, and dissemination to both healthcare providers and the general public.
Deforestation: Deforestation refers to the large-scale removal of trees and forests, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land. This process can significantly impact ecosystems, biodiversity, and climate, as it disrupts habitats and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The connection between deforestation and emerging viral threats lies in how habitat destruction can bring wildlife into closer contact with human populations, increasing the risk of zoonotic diseases.
Disease prevention: Disease prevention refers to strategies and practices aimed at reducing the incidence and impact of diseases, especially infectious diseases. This concept emphasizes proactive measures, such as vaccination, surveillance, and education, to stop the spread of viruses and protect public health. In the context of emerging viral threats, disease prevention becomes vital as it involves understanding the interactions between human, animal, and environmental health to mitigate risks effectively.
Ecosystem services: Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans derive from natural ecosystems, including the provisioning of resources, regulation of environmental processes, and cultural enrichment. These services are essential for maintaining human well-being and include clean water, fertile soil, pollination of crops, and climate regulation, connecting closely to health and environmental sustainability.
Epidemiological surveillance: Epidemiological surveillance is the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data to monitor and control disease outbreaks. This ongoing process helps public health officials identify trends, detect new or re-emerging diseases, and implement timely interventions to protect communities. By integrating information from various sources, it plays a crucial role in understanding the dynamics of diseases, especially in the context of emerging viral threats.
Genomic sequencing: Genomic sequencing is the process of determining the complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome at a single time. This technique provides vital information about the genetic makeup of viruses, which can help researchers understand their structure, function, and evolution, as well as their interactions with hosts and the environment.
Interdisciplinary collaboration: Interdisciplinary collaboration refers to the cooperative work among individuals from different fields of study or areas of expertise to achieve common goals, often addressing complex problems that cannot be solved by a single discipline alone. This approach leverages diverse perspectives and methodologies, fostering innovation and comprehensive solutions, especially in contexts like public health and environmental science.
Nipah virus: Nipah virus is a zoonotic virus that belongs to the genus Henipavirus and is known for causing severe respiratory illness and encephalitis in humans. The virus is primarily transmitted from animals, particularly bats and pigs, to humans, highlighting its significance in understanding zoonotic diseases and the need for effective surveillance and control measures.
One Health: One Health is a collaborative approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. This concept emphasizes that the health of each of these domains is linked and that addressing health issues requires collaboration across multiple disciplines to effectively prevent and respond to emerging viral threats.
Reservoir species: Reservoir species are organisms that harbor a pathogen without showing signs of disease themselves, allowing the pathogen to persist in nature and potentially spill over to other species, including humans. These species play a crucial role in the ecology of infectious diseases, as they act as a source for pathogens and can influence the emergence and spread of viral threats.
Spillover: Spillover refers to the process by which pathogens, such as viruses, jump from one species to another, often from animals to humans. This phenomenon is critical in understanding how new infectious diseases emerge, highlighting the interconnectedness of ecosystems, human health, and animal health.
Urbanization: Urbanization is the process by which an increasing percentage of a population comes to live in urban areas, often resulting from migration from rural areas to cities. This movement can lead to significant changes in lifestyle, economic activities, and social structures, impacting both human health and environmental conditions. Urbanization can create densely populated areas where viral pathogens may spread more easily, contributing to viral emergence and re-emergence.
Vaccination strategies: Vaccination strategies are planned approaches to immunizing populations against infectious diseases through the use of vaccines. These strategies can vary widely based on factors such as the disease in question, population demographics, healthcare access, and emerging threats. Implementing effective vaccination strategies is crucial for controlling outbreaks, especially in the context of zoonotic viruses, the One Health approach to health threats, and the application of molecular epidemiology during outbreak investigations.
Veterinary public health: Veterinary public health is a field that focuses on the intersection of animal health, human health, and the environment, emphasizing the role of veterinarians in promoting public health. It involves the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases, ensuring food safety, and managing animal populations to protect both animal and human health. This approach highlights how the health of animals can directly influence the well-being of people and ecosystems.
World Health Organization (WHO): The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. It plays a crucial role in coordinating global health responses, setting health standards, and providing support to countries in managing health crises and disease outbreaks.
Zika virus: Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that primarily spreads through the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. This virus gained significant attention due to its association with severe birth defects, particularly microcephaly, and other neurological complications, highlighting the complex interplay of viral diseases and their impact on public health.
Zoonoses: Zoonoses are infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. These diseases can originate from a variety of animal hosts, including wildlife, domestic animals, and even insects, highlighting the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. The study of zoonoses is crucial for understanding how emerging viral threats can cross species barriers and the role of ecological factors in these transmissions.