Addressing Emerging Zoonotic Diseases through a One Health Approach: Challenges Opportunities

Abstract

One Health is a comprehensive approach that addresses the interconnected well-being of individuals, animals, and ecosystems, recognizing the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. Emerging zoonotic diseases, such as Anthrax, Rabies, Brucellosis, Q Fever, West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease, Leishmaniasis, and coronaviruses like MERS-CoV and COVID-19, underscore the critical importance of adopting the One Health paradigm. These diseases pose significant threats to global health, with origins often traced to complex interactions between environmental factors, climate change, and human-animal interfaces. Each disease presents unique challenges, demanding a multidisciplinary One Health approach for effective prevention and control. Collaboration among veterinarians, physicians, researchers, policymakers, and communities is crucial. Notable successes, such as the substantial reduction of human rabies deaths in Iran and the successful One Health strategy implemented in India for controlling leishmaniasis, demonstrate the effectiveness of such holistic approaches. However, challenges persist, including weak laboratory capacity, limited resources, and legislative gaps. Successful prevention entails rapid disease detection, efficient surveillance, and collaboration across various sectors. Multifaceted collaboration is essential for research, vaccine development, and international information exchange to effectively mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.