International Zoonotic Diseases Day 2025: Unifying Efforts for a Healthier World with the 'One World, One Health' Initiative
In the spirit of fostering international cooperation, the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) is spearheading efforts to tackle zoonotic diseases, a significant threat to global health. This year's World Zoonoses Day, commemorating the historic breakthrough of the first rabies vaccine administered by Louis Pasteur on July 6, 1885, takes on the theme "One World, One Health: Prevent Zoonoses".
This theme calls for an integrated approach to disease prevention, emphasising the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. Wild animals, domestic pets, livestock, and even insects can act as reservoirs and vectors for dangerous pathogens, responsible for over 60% of human infectious diseases and nearly 75% of newly emerging infections.
Key strategies for preventing zoonotic diseases, as highlighted on World Zoonoses Day 2025, emphasise a multidisciplinary and integrative approach primarily grounded in the "One Health" model. The strategies include:
1. **Vaccination**: Ensuring animals are vaccinated to control and reduce zoonotic outbreaks. This applies to pets, livestock, and wildlife where feasible. 2. **Responsible Animal Care and Handling**: Practicing safe animal handling protocols, including hygiene, controlled farm access, quarantine measures, and responsible pet ownership to minimise direct transmission risks. 3. **Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene**: Implementing strict food safety practices along the supply chain and maintaining environmental cleanliness to prevent contamination from animal sources. 4. **Biosecurity Measures**: On farms and animal facilities, applying biosecurity measures like visitor management and quarantine protocols help prevent disease transmission and reduce antibiotic use. 5. **Awareness and Education Campaigns**: Promoting awareness through community outreach, social media, and educational events, especially targeting rural and underinformed populations. 6. **Strengthening Surveillance and Early Detection**: Enhancing disease monitoring systems, both locally and globally, particularly at wildlife-human interfaces, to promptly identify and respond to zoonotic threats. 7. **Promoting Research and Innovation**: Supporting vaccine development, diagnostics, and scientific research to improve prevention and control of zoonotic diseases. 8. **Sustainable Agricultural Practices**: Encouraging farming methods that reduce the risk of zoonoses emergence and spread. 9. **Global Collaboration and Data Sharing**: Facilitating cooperation across countries and sectors to share data and implement effective zoonoses prevention policies worldwide.
World Zoonoses Day 2025 underscores that tackling zoonotic diseases requires collective action across medical, veterinary, and environmental disciplines to break the transmission cycle and prepare for future pandemics. Preventing zoonoses requires global solidarity, as human well-being is deeply interlinked with that of animals and the environment.
The One Health concept is endorsed by organisations like the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Cross-sector training, community education, and local capacity-building are crucial for recognising early signs of zoonotic outbreaks and responding effectively.
Global travel, urbanisation, and deforestation expand human-animal interactions, raising the risk of spillover events. Countries must invest in laboratory infrastructure, veterinary field services, and data-sharing platforms for effective detection of zoonotic outbreaks.
World Zoonoses Day 2025 is more than a commemoration; it is a call to reflect on past pandemics and brace for future challenges. It serves as a reminder that our collective health is inextricably linked, and that by working together, we can build a safer, healthier future.
- The International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) emphasizes the importance of science in addressing zoonotic diseases.
- Sleep is crucial for maintaining a strong immune system, which is vital in combating zoonotic diseases and other chronic diseases.
- Implementing workplace-wellness programs could improve employees' overall health and reduce the risk of contracting zoonotic diseases.
- Addressing medical conditions such as diabetes or hypertension, which weaken the immune system, is essential in minimizing the impact of zoonotic diseases.
- Cancer research could potentially uncover new insights into the causes and cures for certain zoonotic diseases caused by pathogens.
- The detection and prevention of respiratory conditions, including those caused by zoonotic diseases, is crucial for maintaining cardiovascular health.
- Maintaining digestive health through proper nutrition is essential in boosting the immune system and minimizing the risk of zoonotic diseases.
- Regular eye exams can help in early detection and treatment of eye infections caused by zoonotic diseases.
- Regular hearing checks can help detect any potential hearing loss caused by a zoonotic disease or exposure to loud industrial noises in the workplace.
- The healthcare industry should develop tailored therapies and treatments for managing zoonotic diseases, paying special attention to rare and emerging diseases.
- A healthy and balanced diet, focused on nutrition, is essential for maintaining overall health and wellness, reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases.
- Aging can weaken the immune system, making older individuals more susceptible to zoonotic diseases and other medical conditions.
- Womens-health issues, including reproductive health and hormonal imbalances, can affect a woman's vulnerability to zoonotic diseases.
- Proper parenting, including teaching children about health and hygiene, can help protect them from zoonotic diseases and other contagions.
- Weight management is important for maintaining overall health and preventing obesity-related conditions that can make individuals more vulnerable to zoonotic diseases.
- Fitness and exercise help boost the immune system and maintain cardiovascular health, thereby reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases.
- Sexual-health education can help reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections, some of which may be zoonotic in nature.
- Autoimmune disorders weaken the immune system, increasing an individual's vulnerability to zoonotic diseases and other infections.
- Climate change can impact environmental health, potentially leading to increased interactions between humans, animals, and pathogens, increasing the risk of zoonotic diseases.
- The manufacturing industry should implement stringent safety measures to minimize the risk of zoonotic diseases caused by industrial pollution or contamination.
- Mental-health issues can make individuals more susceptible to stress and anxiety related to zoonotic diseases and other health concerns, affecting their overall well-being.
- Mens-health encompasses a wide range of issues, including heart health, chronic diseases, and proper skincare, which are all crucial in minimizing the risk of zoonotic diseases.
- Therapies and treatments for skincare can help prevent and manage skin-conditions caused by zoonotic diseases, such as cuts, bites, or rashes.
- The finance sector can play a role in supporting the development and distribution of vaccines and treatments for zoonotic diseases, particularly in low-income communities.
- CBD, a compound derived from cannabis, has been shown to have potential therapeutic benefits for a variety of conditions, including managing pain and inflammation caused by zoonotic diseases.
- Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's can impact an individual's ability to respond to zoonotic disease threats, emphasizing the importance of early detection and treatment.
- The environmental-science field can collaborate with health professionals to study the impact of environmental factors on the emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases, leading to more effective prevention and control strategies.
