That there are a number of concerning trends in animal diseases right now. There’s the ongoing problem with highly pathogenic avian influenza in both birds and dairy cows; Mexico’s announcement of new world screwworm; the detection of African Swine Fever on Caribbean islands, and this week the first case of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany in 40 years, to name a few.
Our government in the US seems to be taking the threat of foreign diseases seriously. USDA is establishing a Swine Health Improvement Program that will monitor for ASF and CSF. They have earmarked $165 million in emergency funding for protecting US livestock from screwworm, and are rebuilding the government’s avian influenza vaccine stockpile.
We have already seen instances of species-hopping in these viruses – for example, avian influenza has sickened both cows and cats, as well as a few people. For that reason, it’s imperative that the One Health approach becomes the standard in both human and animal healthcare moving forward. The US Government’s newly released National One Health Framework is a step in the right direction. Now it’s time to implement their recommendations and to work collaboratively to address threats and public health preparedness.
Lynn Fondon