Zoonoses constitute 61% of all known infectious diseases. The major obstacles to control zoonoses include insensitive systems and unreliable data. Intelligent handling of the cost effective big data can accomplish the goals of one health to detect disease trends, outbreaks, pathogens and causes of emergence in human and animals.

Zoonoses constitute 868 (61%) of all known infectious diseases, 75% of the infections considered ‘emerging’ are zoonoses. Developed nations have national programmes, adjoining “One Health” concept to combat zoonoses, whereas inadequacies exist in developing nations. As a case study, role of national programmes in India, a developing nation with a large human and animal population, was explored, as we did have acquaintance of it. Data from PubMed was extracted using keywords “Zoonoses AND Prevalence/Incidence AND India AND Human OR Animal” till 2009. Additionally, some individual disease keywords were used for extraction, which were missed by the above comprehensive search terms. On appraisal, the health sector in India has only a few national programme on zoonoses where as none exists in animal husbandry sector. In the struggle against zoonoses -a major constituent of emerging infections, a system approach based, one national programme is urgently required for the developing world.

The advances made in genomics and molecular tools aid public health programs in the investigation of outbreaks and control of diseases by taking advantage of the precision medicine. Precision medicine means "segregating the individuals into subpopulations who vary in their disease susceptibility and response to a precise treatment" and not merely designing of drugs or creation of medical devices. By 2017, the United Kingdom 100,000 Genomes Project is expected to sequence 100,000 genomes from 70,000 patients. Similarly, the Precision Medicine Initiative of the United States plans to increase population-based genome sequencing and link it with clinical data. A national cohort of around 1 million people is to be established in the long term, to investigate the genetic and environmental determinants of health and disease, and further integrated to their electronic health records that are optional. Precision public health can be seen as administering the right intervention to the needy population at an appropriate time. Precision medicine originates from a wet-lab while evidence-based medicine is nurtured in a clinic. Linking the quintessential basic science research and clinical practice is necessary. In addition, new technologies to employ and analyze data in an integrated and dynamic way are essential for public health and precision medicine. The transition from evidence-based approach in public health to genomic approach to individuals with a paradigm shift of a "reactive" medicine to a more "proactive" and personalized health care may sound exceptional. However, a population perspective is needed for the precision medicine to succeed.

Zoonoses constitute more than 60% of infectious diseases and 75% of emerging infectious diseases. Inappropriate overemphasis of specialization of disciplines has ignored public health. Identifying the causes of disease and determining how exposures are related to outcomes in "emerging zoonoses" affecting multiple species are considered to be the hallmarks of public health research and practice that compels the adoption of "One Health". The interactions within and among populations of vertebrates in the causation and transmissions of emerging zoonotic diseases are inherently dynamic, interdependent, and systems based. Disease causality theories have moved from one or several agents causing disease in a single species, to one infectious agent causing disease in multiple species-emerging zoonoses. Identification of the causative pathogen components or structures, elucidating the mechanisms of species specificity, and understanding the natural conditions of emergence would facilitate better derivation of the causal mechanism. Good quality evidence on causation in emerging zoonoses affecting multiple species makes a strong recommendation under the One Health approach for disease prevention and control from diagnostic tests, treatment, antimicrobial resistance, preventive vaccines, and evidence informed health policies. In the tenets of One Health, alliances work best when the legitimate interests of the different partners combine to prevent and control emerging zoonoses.

The World Health Organization estimates that 25% of the 57 million annual deaths that occur globally are caused by microbes. A study reported 1415 species of infectious organisms are known to be pathogenic to humans. Zoonoses constitute 61% of all known infectious diseases, with humans serving as the primary reservoir for only 3% of them. Of the 175 infectious species considered to be emerging, 75% are zoonotic. Zoonotic diseases and their impact on human and animal health are not monitored, prevented, and treated in an integrated way, despite the fact that etiologies and treatments are similar across species. The efficacy and resistance of a drug in one species has a bearing on others, in the context of zoonoses. Further, an RCT involving many species is effective in a natural setting, is robust, and may require fewer human volunteers. One Health is based on a systems approach and a collaborative effort of multiple disciplines -working locally, nationally, and globally -to attain optimal health for people, animals, and the environment. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have so far been independent and discipline oriented. Pooling of results for diagnostic test accuracies and treatment effects of drugs for zoonoses across species has to be done, since the results of preclinical trials emanate from laboratory animals. The Cochrane Collaboration is the platform of choice to initiate a new group on zoonoses to carry out systematic meta-analyses of diagnostic tests and drug efficacies without bias, thus underpinning the systems approach and One Health.