Prevent outbreaks of zoonotic disease in animals and people.No one person, organization, or sector can address issues at the animal-human-environment interface alone. Other relevant players in a One Health approach could include law enforcement, policymakers, agriculture, communities, and even pet owners. Professionals in human health (doctors, nurses, public health practitioners, epidemiologists), animal health (veterinarians, paraprofessionals, agricultural workers), environment (ecologists, wildlife experts), and other areas of expertise need to communicate, collaborate on, and coordinate activities. Successful public health interventions require the cooperation of human, animal, and environmental health partners. CDC uses a One Health approach by involving experts in human, animal, environmental health, and other relevant disciplines and sectors in monitoring and controlling public health threats and to learn about how diseases spread among people, animals, plants, and the environment. One Health is gaining recognition in the United States and globally as an effective way to fight health issues at the human-animal-environment interface, including zoonotic diseases. Contamination of water used for drinking, recreation, and more can make people and animals sick.Įven the fields of chronic disease, mental health, injury, occupational health, and noncommunicable diseases can benefit from a One Health approach involving collaboration across disciplines and sectors.The human-animal bond can help improve mental well-being.Diseases in food animals can threaten supplies, livelihoods, and economies.Vector-borne diseases are on the rise with warmer temperatures and expanded mosquito and tick habitats.Antibiotic-resistant germs can quickly spread through communities, the food supply, healthcare facilities, and the environment (soil, water), making it harder to treat certain infections in animals and people.One Health issues include zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety and food security, vector-borne diseases, environmental contamination, and other health threats shared by people, animals, and the environment. For example, birds often die of West Nile virus before people in the same area get sick with West Nile virus infection. Because of this, they can sometimes serve as early warning signs of potential human illness. Examples of zoonotic diseases include:Īnimals also share our susceptibility to some diseases and environmental hazards.

Every year, millions of people and animals around the world are affected by zoonotic diseases. These changes have led to the spread of existing or known (endemic) and new or emerging zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that can spread between animals and people. As a result, diseases can spread quickly across borders and around the globe. The movement of people, animals, and animal products has increased from international travel and trade.Disruptions in environmental conditions and habitats can provide new opportunities for diseases to pass to animals. The earth has experienced changes in climate and land use, such as deforestation and intensive farming practices.Close contact with animals and their environments provides more opportunities for diseases to pass between animals and people.

Animals play an important role in our lives, whether for food, fiber, livelihoods, travel, sport, education, or companionship.

As a result, more people live in close contact with wild and domestic animals, both livestock and pets.

Human populations are growing and expanding into new geographic areas.

This is because many factors have changed interactions between people, animals, plants, and our environment. One Health is not new, but it has become more important in recent years. One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment.

One medical