Spring IEG Sessions
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Our Mission
The North Carolina One Health Collaborative promotes, protects, and improves the health and well-being of people, animals, and the environment by enhancing multi-disciplinary collaborations. We provide leadership in outreach, education, and research for students, professionals and the public by increasing awareness of the interconnectedness of people, animals, and the environment.
What is One Health?
The concept of ‘One Health’ is an evolving, interdisciplinary way of approaching complex health issues by recognizing the interconnectedness of human health, animal health and the environment. It encourages people to move beyond narrow, professional perspectives toward a more holistic view of health (1,2,3,4).
Why is a ‘One Health’ Approach important now?
Why is a ‘One Health’ Approach important now?
- Over 75% of emerging worldwide infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they pass between humans and animals. Most of these originate in wildlife (5).
- We live in a changing environment in which humans and animals share increasing contact in both the developed and underdeveloped world. Animals support us through social and economic means (6). They feed us, clothe us, and provide comfort and companionship, heightening the risk of disease transmission. This intimate relationship creates complex challenges that call for cross-disciplinary leadership skills.
- The increasing global population creates a growing demand for sufficient and safe food supplies. Future food production will require broad based, interdisciplinary collaborations, sharing of information, and cooperative technology development, the essence of One Health.
- Local communities are affected by global issues such as rabies control, vector borne diseases, and emergency preparedness, among many others. One Health recognizes the importance of ‘thinking globally while acting locally.’
References
1. Schwabe CW. Bull semen and muscle ATP: some evidence of the dawn of medical science in ancient Egypt. Canadian J Vet Res. 1986; 50:145-153
2. Eiserink M. Initiative aims to merge animal and human health science to benefit both. Science, 2007; 316: 155
3. Cardiff RD, et al. One medicine - one pathology: are veterinary and human pathology prepared? Lab Investig. 2008; 88: 18-26
4. King L, et al. Executive summary of the AVMA One Health Initiative task force: Special report. J Am Vet Med Assoc. July 15, 2008; Vol 233, No. 2
5. Chomel B, et al. Wildlife, exotic pets, and emerging zoonoses. Emerg Infect Disease J. January 2007; Vol 13, No. 1
6. Day M. One Health: The small animal dimension. Vet. Rec. 2010; 167:847-849. doi:10.1136/vr.c6492.
2. Eiserink M. Initiative aims to merge animal and human health science to benefit both. Science, 2007; 316: 155
3. Cardiff RD, et al. One medicine - one pathology: are veterinary and human pathology prepared? Lab Investig. 2008; 88: 18-26
4. King L, et al. Executive summary of the AVMA One Health Initiative task force: Special report. J Am Vet Med Assoc. July 15, 2008; Vol 233, No. 2
5. Chomel B, et al. Wildlife, exotic pets, and emerging zoonoses. Emerg Infect Disease J. January 2007; Vol 13, No. 1
6. Day M. One Health: The small animal dimension. Vet. Rec. 2010; 167:847-849. doi:10.1136/vr.c6492.
