A Survey on One Health Perception and Experiences in Europe and Neighboring Areas

One Health Priorities: Advancing Veterinary Public Health in Latin America and the Caribbean

One Health (OH) is an integrative approach to human, animal, and environmental health and can be used as a comprehensive indicator for comparative purposes. Although an OH index has been proposed for comparing cities, states, and countries, to date, no practical study has compared countries using this approach. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess OH initiatives using a survey with a veterinary public health focus. The questionnaire contained 104 quantitative questions and was sent to representatives of governmental institutions of 32 countries in the Americas. After exclusion criteria were considered, a total of 35 questionnaires from 17 countries were analyzed, with country names remaining undisclosed during the statistical analyses to protect potentially sensitive information. Principal component analysis (PCA) of health parameters in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) as a function of country perception (self-vector) showed that food safety was ranked higher than public policies (p = 0.009), and that both (p = 0.003) were ranked higher than institutional routines related to zoonosis programs. National policies in accordance with international standards, regulations, recommendations, and guidelines was considered the standout topic for public policy, with higher-ranking topics including standard. Meanwhile, challenging topics included tools, preparedness, governance, and research. Food safety showed both strengths and challenges in the coordination of its activities with other sectors. Food safety communication was scored as a strength, while foodborne diseases prevention was ranked as a challenge. Institutional routines for zoonosis maintained both strong and challenging topics in the execution and implementation of attributions and daily routine. Thus, the survey showed that topics such as access to and compliance with international guidelines and intercountry integration were ranked higher than in-country articulation, particularly among food safety, zoonoses, and environmental institutions.

Using one health training for interprofessional team building: implications for research, policy, and practice in Nigeria

In recent years, the concept of One Health (OH) has arisen as an approach that helps to catalyze the creation of transdisciplinary teams needed for surveillance and investigation of emerging disease dynamics. Besides a wealth of descriptions of what the OH approach encompasses, a dearth of information is available regarding the training of individuals in OH competencies. In 2019, the Nigerian Center for Disease Control developed an OH strategic plan to meet the country's human, animal, and environmental health challenges. In response to the demand for clinicians, scientists, climatologists, conservationists, and environmentalists, who have expertise in environment, human, plant, and animal health to work collaboratively in addressing OH challenges in Nigeria. An interprofessional group of faculty from the University of Texas Medical Branch, the University of Jos, and the National Veterinary Research Institute convened to develop a novel OH course 'entitled 'One Health for Translational Team Science. The objective of the course was to explore the evolution of an emerging epidemic, capitalizing on various learning environments, including animal, environmental, human, and public health perspectives. The 6-week course comprised of three parts: 2-weeks virtual part of case-based group discussions focusing on animal and environmental aspects, 2 weeks of individual field experiences, and a final virtual part focusing on human health. Pedagogical tools used were: case-based group discussions, breakout group presentations, role-play activities, field project write-up, peer evaluation, group writing assignments, and weekly reflections with the goal of working in teams to develop and practice the fundamental leadership and management skills in addressing emerging public health challenges. Post-course evaluations showed that all participants felt more confident identifying and practicing the necessary attitudes and skills to participate effectively in the evaluation of an outbreak. Furthermore, the roles, responsibilities, and "One Health ways of thinking" for the various disciplines and professions involved in improving global health were articulated and identified.

Uncovering associations between interest in One Health and pre-existing conditions and behaviours: Evidence from a UK survey

This paper endeavours to unveil individual characteristics associated with an interest in One Health. Through the distribution of an online survey randomly distributed among the United Kingdom population, we discovered significant correlations between pre-existing attitudes towards and relationships with nature and animals and interest in One Health, which is quantified by the number of additional pages of One Health information participants agreed to view at the survey's conclusion. Additionally, individuals with poorer mental health demonstrated a higher level of interest in One Health. The findings suggest that interest in One Health and people's connections with nature and animals are driven by the same personal preferences. These insights point towards the potential for more targeted communication strategies to specific groups, facilitating more effective promotion of the One Health concept.

Public awareness of One Health in China

One Health is recognized as an increasingly important approach to global health. It has the potential to inform interventions and governance approaches to prevent future pandemics. Successfully implementing the One Health approach in policy will require active engagement from the public, which begs the question: how aware is the public of One Health? In this study, we examine the level and distribution of One Health awareness among the general public in China using a survey conducted in Beijing (n = 1820). We distinguish between awareness of the term of "One Health" versus awareness of the core set of ideas - the interconnection between the health of people, animals, and the environment. Our analysis shows that 40% of respondents reported that they have heard of the term, but more than double the number indicated that they recognize the core idea of interconnection between people, animals, and the environment. Specifically, about 83% of the respondents said that they believe people's health is closely connected to animal health and 86% believe people's health is closely connected to plant and environmental health. Multiple regression analysis indicates that women, younger people, and individuals with a higher level of education show higher levels of One Health awareness than their counterparts. Being aware of the term is associated with higher recognition of the core ideas. Policymakers and health practitioners should consider these findings when designing public awareness campaigns and educational initiatives to promote One Health principles.

Prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of human enteric emerging viruses in porcine stool samples in the Republic of Korea

Emerging infectious diseases (EID) in humans and animals are proving to be a serious health concern. This study investigated the prevalence of emerging or re-emerging human enteric viruses in porcine stools and swabs. Eleven enteric EID viruses were selected as target viruses for the current study and ranked based on their impact on public health and food safety: enterovirus (EV), hepatitis E virus, norovirus GI and GII, sapovirus (SaV), adenovirus (AdV), astrovirus, rotavirus, hepatitis A virus, aichivirus, and bocavirus. Using real-time RT-PCR or real-time PCR, EID viruses were detected in 129 (86.0%) of 150 samples. The most prevalent virus was EV, which was detected in 68.0% of samples, followed by AdV with a detection rate of 38.0%. In following sequencing and phylogenetic analyses, 33.0% (58/176) of the detected viruses were associated with human enteric EID viruses, including AdV-41, coxsackievirus-A2, echovirus-24, and SaV. Our results show that porcine stools frequently contain human enteric viruses, and that few porcine enteric viruses are genetically related to human enteric viruses. These findings suggest that enteric re-emerging or EID viruses could be zoonoses, and that continuous monitoring and further studies are needed to ensure an integrated "One Health" approach that aims to balance and optimize the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems.

A Survey on One Health Approach in Colombia and Some Latin American Countries: From a Fragmented Health Organization to an Integrated Health Response to Global Challenges

The “One Health” (OH) approach has been recognized by world health authorities such as FAO/OIE/WHO, advocating for effective, multi-sectoral, and transdisciplinary collaboration. However, there is a lack of published evidence of the awareness of the OH concept in Colombia and other countries in the Latin American Region. In order to explore existing collaboration amongst the animal health, human-public health, environmental health sectors, and to describe the perception, knowledge, and barriers on OH in Colombia and other countries of Latin America, an online questionnaire-based survey was distributed among key professionals representing the three OH pillars (August 2018–August 2020). Overall, 76 key respondents from 13 countries (Colombia, México, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Perú, Guatemala, Nicaragua Uruguay, and Venezuela) completed the questionnaire. Respondents worked in institutions of animal (59%), public (20%), human (7%), and environmental health (7%); they mainly belonged to higher academic institutions (59%), followed by ministries (11%), and research organizations (9%). Most participants (92%) were familiar with the OH term and 68% were aware of the formal cooperation among sectors in their countries, mostly on zoonoses; in 46% of the cases, such connections were established in the last 5 years. The main reported limiting factors to intersectorality were the lack of commitment of policy-makers, resources, and budget for OH (38%) and the “siloed approach” of sectors and disciplines (34%). Respondents ranked a median score of 3.0 (1–5 scoring) in how good OH activities are implemented in their countries, and a median score of 2.0 in the citizen awareness on OH as regards their countries. The most important OH issues were identified in vector-borne diseases, rabies, wrong and/or improper use of antimicrobials, emerging viral diseases, food-borne diseases, neglected parasitic diseases, deforestation, and ecosystem fragmentation. Although there is a high-perceived importance on conjoint cooperation, OH implementation, and operationalization remain weak, and the environmental component is not well-integrated. We consider that integration and implementation of the OH Approach can support countries to improve their health policies and health governance as well as to advocate the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of the Region.