The study of health sciences is often compartmentalized: human diseases, live-stock diseases, wild animal diseases. Some of us grew up thinking that doctors were responsible for human health, and vets for animal health.
But for the past decade, we have had severe diseases that involve both human and animal hosts. In Malaysia, we had the fear of H1N1 or swine flu.
What is being done in your country or institution concerning this compartmentalization of health science studies? What innovative collaborations are being put in place to control diseases that involve human and animal hosts?
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/65088/william-b-karesh/where-the-wild-things-are
Many aspects involving human health result from human-environment interactions. 'Animals' belong to the environmental components of these human-environment interactions, and are therefore investigated in a fundamental science framework.
Many aspects involving animal health result from animal-environment interactions. 'Humans' belong to the environmental components of these animal-environment interactions, and are therefore investigated in a fundamental science framework.
Thanks @ Marcel. I get your point. On the link, it is stated that at this moment, we have:
''International bodies such as the World Health Organization and the World Bank have adopted the One World-One Health approach in their collaborative efforts to control avian and pandemic influenza and other diseases of global concern'. And...
'The resulting programs bring together experts ranging from biologists and sociologists to economists and natural-resource managers. The rapid partnering of animal- and human-influenza specialists on the current H1N1 outbreak is an example of how a more comprehensive approach can speed the response to a potential pandemic.'
Why do birds use animal hair/fur to line their nests, accepting that this hair/fur is found on the ground and potentially contaminated and that bird nests can favor micro-organisms because of the warm and humid nest environments? Are over-sterilized environments healthy or not?
Perhaps less sterilized environments stimulate the human immune system making people more resistant?
@Marcel, you have a point. People should be gaining active immunity. When new students come to college, they get stomach aches when they eat the food at the cafetaria. After a week they have adjusted, it's the same food...
@Abdalla et al., thanks.
I did ask another question concerning MERS, and the controversy involved.
https://www.researchgate.net/post/As_researchers_we_are_concerned_about_IP_intellectual_property_and_issues_that_surround_IP_What_can_a_researcher_do_to_AVOID_controversy
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/139443/david-p-fidler/who-owns-mers
You might be interested in the work of the Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health based in the Cummings School (Veterinary Medicine) at Tufts University, Massachusetts, U.S.: http://vet.tufts.edu/idgh/
as well as the Center for Conservation Medicine, also at Tufts: http://vet.tufts.edu/ccm/about-profile.html
Brazil since 1999 has experienced a very successful strategy for animal health surveillance, with effects on human health, which is based on the monitoring of epizootics in nonhuman primates for monitoring the spreading of yellow fever virus. In Brazil, the death of animals (horses, birds, monkeys, dogs, bats, etc) that may be indicative of the occurrence of diseases that can reach man is mandatory since 2006. The country recently (2007 to 2009) witnessed a re-emergence of yellow fever virus, reaching areas with less tradition in managing this disease and the monitoring of illness and death in primates was of great importance to direct vaccination strategies of the human population. Rio Grande do Sul State, southernmost state of Brazil, has a large experience in this kind of surveillance and in 2008/2009 more than 2,000 non human primates were found dead during a wide yellow fever virus spread. You can see more information about those issues in the articles listed below.
ALMEIDA MAB et al. (2014) Surveillance for yellow fever virus in non-human primates in southern Brazil, 2001-2011: a tool for prioritizing human populations for vaccination.. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases (Online), v. 8, p. e2741.
ROMANO APM et al. (2014) Yellow Fever Outbreaks in Unvaccinated Populations, Brazil, 2008-2009. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases (Online), v. 8, p. e2740.
ALMEIDA MAB et al. (2012) Yellow Fever outbreak affecting Alouatta populations in Southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul State), 2008-2009. American Journal of Primatology (Print), v. 74, p. 68-76.
CARDOSO JC et al. (2010) Yellow Fever Virus in Haemagogus leucocelaenus and Aedes serratus Mosquitoes, Southern Brazil, 2008. Emerging Infectious Diseases (Print), v. 16, p. 1918-1924.
Compartmentalization in sciences is commonly influenced by institutionnal and political issues. In France, animal health is the mission of the ministry of agriculture, while human health depends from the ministry of… health. The first is also in charge of food saftey, while the second takes care of nutrition. Although many collaborations between researchers and workers exist on the field, both administrations are eager to preserve their prerogatives. This can raise serious political issues. For instance, during the BSE epidemics in the 90th, the French ministry of agriculture was clearly in a situation of conflict of interest.
Thanks Marco, for giving this info about Brazil:
'In Brazil, the death of animals (horses, birds, monkeys, dogs, bats, etc) that may be indicative of the occurrence of diseases that can reach man is mandatory since 2006.'
Thanks Paul, for giving this info about France:
'In France, animal health is the mission of the ministry of agriculture, while human health depends from the ministry of… health. The first is also in charge of food safety, while the second takes care of nutrition. '
Thanks for making this thread very useful to many researchers.
Yes indeed the study of health sciences is generally compartmentalized in Turkey as you mention. However, stuation is changing that basic life scientist doing interesting an very important studies in health sciences. In addition, colloboration between scientists in health science and life sciences will limit compartmentalisation. In this way the biology of human and animals are well understood to solve problem in health sicences.
If national and international regulatory and grant organisations promote or force the colloboration of scientists in health and life sciences, this problem will disappear and we will find or reach better solutions of problems sooner than today in health sciences.
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