The One Health concept is gaining recognition worldwide

One Health concept, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health when dealing with infectious diseases.

● The One Health concept integrates human, animal, and environmental health to provide valuable insights when dealing with infectious agents.

 ● Investigating emerging pathogens benefits when the skills and knowledge of those specializing in human and animal infectious diseases are brought together, thus increasing the likelihood of identifying ways to prevent such illnesses.

 ● The One Health concept is illustrated well by approaches to dealing with foodborne diseases because many agents have zoonotic sources.

 ● Recognizing that fluoroquinolone use in poultry led to fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter infections in humans, officials at the FDA in 2005 withdrew approval for the use of these antimicrobial agents in the drinking water of poultry.

 ● Several case studies trace how investigations of bacterial isolates from patient specimens, when sent from clinical laboratories to public health laboratories for serotyping and subtyping, can provide critical insights for those analyzing public health problems.

 Clinical and public health microbiologists have long collaborated when responding to infectious disease problems to identify microbial pathogens. These investigative efforts include veterinary and environmental laboratory colleagues, taking advantage of their special skills in these arenas. These collaborations are helping us to realize the value of the One Health concept, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health when dealing with infectious diseases. This integrated approach also matches with what officials at the World Health Organization now recommend, and reinforces the value of taking a broad view of disease ecology. Our growing understanding of these important interfaces is providing insights into the complex chains that lead to human and animal illnesses.

Source:  J. Michael Miller and Patricia M. Griffin.  Microbe, January 2012, http://www.microbemagazine.org/index.php/01-2012-home/4268-one-health-through-the-eyes-of-clinical-and-public-health-microbiology