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Wildlife markets are hotbeds of disease
In 2003, the world met SARS. The coronavirus wreaks havoc on a patient’s immune system, and even after treatment patients have gone on to suffer from long-term diseases like osteoporosis or lung disease. It’s thought that the virus jumped from animals to humans, facilitated by markets in southern China known for trading in wildlife and wildlife parts. The infection eventually spread to 29 countries on five continents. In all there were 8,098 human cases and 774 deaths. The outbreak cost China some $16.8 billion in lost tourism revenue.
The illegal trade in wildlife is not only devastating ecologically; it also has a real and measurable impact on human health and economics. And the problem is not just in China.
Vets urge Northern Ireland Assembly candidates to take ‘One Health’ action
With campaigning for next month’s election (5 May) in full swing, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and BVA Northern Ireland Branch have launched a manifesto urging incoming parliamentarians to take action on animal health and welfare as part of a One Health government agenda.
BVA’s ‘The veterinary profession’s manifesto for Northern Ireland 2016–2021’ was developed drawing on the expertise and experiences of BVA’s members working throughout Northern Ireland and in all areas of the veterinary profession, and makes clear recommendations in three key areas: safeguarding animal health, promoting animal welfare and recognising the vital role of veterinary surgeons.
Presentations available from the One Health for the Real World symposium
The presentations from the international symposium, ‘One Health for the Real World: zoonoses, ecosystems and wellbeing’ which took place at the Zoological Society of London, 17-18 March 2016 are now available on the STEPS website
Canine clinical trials show potential to advance cancer treatment in humans: 5 things to know
In academic clinical trials across the country, oncology researchers are studying how pet dogs respond to cancer therapies and the genetic makeup of their tumors. Some of the data collected has already helped to progress human clinical trials for cancer treatment, according to an article in JAMA.
Zoobiquity conference explores cooperation in human and animal medicine
More than 200 healthcare professionals and students explored these types of overlap between animal and human health at Saturday’s Zoobiquity 6 Conference, an all-day symposium that featured case studies of patients and their furry or feathered analogues. The event highlights the spirit of the One Health Initiative, which aims to bridge the gap between human and veterinary medicine by fostering collaboration between two groups that rarely interact.
“A liver is a liver, you know?” said keynote speaker Stephanie Murphy, director of the Division of Comparative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. “It only has so many ways to respond whether it’s in a mouse, or it’s in a dog, or it’s in a human.”
Bad news for bats: Lethal white-nose fungus is now in the Pacific Northwest
“In a single summer, a colony of 150 brown bats can eat enough adult cucumber beetles to prevent the laying of eggs that result in 33 million rootworm larvae, according to a study cited by Bat Conservation International. Without bats, insects would be free to ravage farm crops and trees, among other things. Their value to U.S. farmers has been estimated at $3 billion a year.”
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