Category: OH Know More

By Sofia Costa Lima, ICBAS

PORTO – Emerging zoonotic diseases are one of the major challenges to the "One Health" concept. Zoonosis embraces multiple infectious diseases transferred from animals to humans. Currently, the treatment and diagnosis of zoonotic infections are difficult due to genetic mutations, target site modifications, and multi-drug resistance. In fact, increasing level of resistance against antimicrobial agents among bacteria species causes a major challenge for Human and Animal health, as well as life in the future.

New management approaches to improve prophylactic measurements, assure effective diagnosis and therapies towards resistant bacteria are urgent. In this context, nanomaterials are transforming medicine with versatile potential capabilities for diagnostic devices and treatments for zoonosis through targeted and controlled delivery of antimicrobial drugs. The nanometer size of the materials, allows easy entrance into the cells of living organisms. Additionally, nanomaterials can have a protective role, preventing the encapsulated drug or antimicrobial agent from degradation because of the shielding properties of these nano-sized material, controlling and targeting its release into the diseased tissues reducing adverse side effects. Applications of nanomaterials as vaccines or drug delivery systems, directing therapeutic agents in combating zoonotic diseases strengthen the successful design of control strategies. Recently, new nanotechnology-based approaches were proposed with active antimicrobial properties, for pathogens separation, or as diagnostic material. The application of nanotechnology can bring new opportunities to tackle zoonotic infections.

Image credits: iStockphotos

By Adriano A. Bordalo e Sá, ICBAS

PORTO - The transdisciplinary One Health concept allows the understanding of complex health problems affecting humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Indeed, all these compartments are linked, and we must evolve from the perspective “humans first” to a holistic approach that all living organisms have a role in the Biosphere.

Africa is considered the poorest continent on Earth. Every second person living in sub-Saharan Africa lives below the poverty line, and the human health and veterinary services are, in most cases, basic. However, this is an opportunity to build bridges between people, animals, plants, and their environments. Currently, about 60% of the population is rural, were the connectivity is higher. In several parts of the continent, children and livestock vaccination occurs simultaneously, febrile patients are now screened for brucellosis along with malaria and typhoid fever, in cooperation with veterinary labs, in many cattle prone areas.

The emergence of novel infectious diseases as well as the re-emergence of others, many of them having animals as reservoirs or vectors, will probably increase in the near future. The advance of the Sahel towards the South, the change of the agroecological environment including the loss of forests, armed conflicts, the migration of humans towards the cites where water, sanitation, and food security is not granted, decreases the health status of entire populations. Indeed, cholera, measles, viral hemorrhagic diseases, malaria, and meningitis top the list of epidemics, exposing further the vulnerability of local health systems.

Africa endorsed One Health as a tool towards disease surveillance, prevention, control, and epidemic readiness to tackle disease. Despite all notorious advancements in recent years, gaps are still omnipresent, dealing with a lack of African funding, poor decision maker awareness, inadequate human and material resources, and general public understanding. Nevertheless, the One Health is the right path to tackle the health issues distressing the Biosphere, humans included.

One Health concept conference in Bissau, West Africa, May 2022.

Credits. Adriano A. Bordalo e Sá.

By Begoña Pérez-Cabezas, ICBAS

PORTO - Biodiversity refers to all the living species (and its interactions) on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. Whenever preserved, biodiversity forms balanced ecosystems that are the basis of a sustainable planet. The quality of the ecosystems translated in the quality of the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink.

Plants are essential for the production of oxygen and the absorption of air pollutants. Insects are the base of many food chains, and key for the pollination and for the dispersion of seeds. Coral reefs and mangroves protect from cyclones and tsunamis, causing waves to break offshore and soaking up wave energy.

But, Biodiversity is in danger due to the human activity that disturb the ecosystems. As the human population rises, wild areas are used to create farmland, housing and industrial spaces. Pollution, unsustainable hunting and fishing, water extraction, and global trade, are also other main threats to the balance of life on our planet. The loss of species is a dramatically irreversible process and the extinction rate now is estimated to be about 1,000 times higher than before humans dominated the planet.

Increasing protected areas and performing a sustainable use and management of non-protected areas are essential for the maintenance of biodiversity. But the protection of ecosystems is also in the hands of each one of us. Most territories are cleared for the production of cattle, soy, palm oil, or wood. Reducing the consumption of these products, choosing sustainable options, and diminishing waste of consumer goods have a positive impact on the preservation of biodiversity.

Image Credits: Scotty Turner, Unsplash.

By Sofia Costa Lima, ICBAS

PORTO - Avian influenza virus is spreading in Africa, Asia, Europe, and America. Avian flu virus is a contagious influenza type A virus that can infect and kill poultry (such as chickens, domestic ducks. pheasants, turkeys, quail, among others) and wild birds (including migratory birds). Significant outbreaks have been raising, since October 2021, reaching new geographical areas and causing devastating impacts on animal health and welfare. Avian influenza can occasionally be transmitted to humans and other mammals. This infection represents a global risk to food security, animal health, and livelihoods for poultry farmers, but also a threat to wildlife on sea and land animals. Besides disrupting the local ecology outbreaks harm biodiversity.

Migratory birds are the natural reservoir for the avian influenza virus. Climate change is influencing migration routes, given the seasonal alterations. Now, migratory bird populations are coping with one another increasing the odds of new virus variants. A surveillance program to monitor the evolution and diversity of variants is crucial to prevent animal, environmental and human health. Addressing the avian influenza virus requires One Health strategy.

Now, more than ever, governments need to invest in local and global approaches that focus on the interface of animal/ human/environmental health to enable communication and preparedness responses for current and future challenges.

Image Credits: Sofia Lima

By Luísa Azevedo, ICBAS

PORTO – É bem conhecido de todos que muitas doenças crónicas aparecem como consequência da exposição a elementos mutagénicos do ar, água e solo, podendo levar a doenças graves. O cancro é, talvez, o caso mais conhecido de uma doença em que a exposição ambiental tem um efeito mais notável. Mas o cancro está longe de ser o único exemplo, uma vez que a poluição também pode aumentar o risco de muitas outras doenças. Entre eles estão problemas respiratórios crónicos, doenças de pele e doenças cardiovasculares. Como todos dividimos o mesmo ambiente, o efeito patogénico dos poluentes também pode afetar os animais, como por exemplo, os nossos animais de companhia. Nesse cenário, como adotar uma abordagem One Health para prevenir o impacto nocivo da exposição ambiental?

Taking air pollution as example, a simple way could be to reflect upon everyday choices, like travelling. Most of us uses the car, but one can choose to travel by public transports, bike or walk, whenever possible, in order to contribute to the reduction of pollutants. This is expected to aid the environmental health and have a positive impact in the reduction of the risk of acute and chronic diseases that are predisposed by the quality of the air, in both humans and animals.

Image Credits: Luísa Azevedo

By Luísa Azevedo, ICBAS

PORTO - As the population ages, important social and health-related challenges arise such as the increase in prevalence of several late-onset diseases. Among these are different forms of dementia, of which Alzheimer disease is the most common worldwide. Although aging is the most relevant risk factor for dementia, there are several other factors (both genetic and environmental) that can act as modifiers of the disease risk. Whilst many of these environmental and genetic players remain to be discovered, the number of cases continues to increase. According to the expectations, the number of cases of all dementia types will experience an incremental increase in the near future. That this will constitute a socioeconomic challenge is an understatement.

Sob a perspectiva One Health, é, no entanto, possível tomar algumas medidas sérias para diminuir novos casos no futuro. Por exemplo, a manutenção de uma vida ativa e a prática regular de exercício físico têm se mostrado de extrema importância para um envelhecimento mais saudável.

Image Credits: Luísa Azevedo

By Begoña Pérez-Cabezas, ICBAS

PORTO - Smallpox, caused by the variola virus, was one of the most devastating infectious diseases for humanity. The smallpox vaccine, created by Edward Jenner in 1796, was the first successful vaccine to be developed. Jenner observed that milkmaids who previously suffered from cowpox did not develop smallpox, and showed that a similar inoculation could be used to prevent smallpox in humans. This link between a veterinary and a human disease, established by a farmer and a physician, is an example of ther One Health approach.
Vaccines are one of the most important tools for infectious disease prevention, control and eradication. But vaccinating only people is not enough to ensure the health of all. Animal vaccines are an essential barrier to prevent the transmission of some zoonoses - diseases that spread from animals to humans. Their use can control diseases in companion and domesticated animals, such are, for instance, the Rift Valley fever and rabies. They are also useful to ensure safe food supplies through maintaining healthy livestock populations. One case in point is the vaccination of poultry against Salmonella.
But the benefits of vaccination do not stop here! Vaccines are also key for reducing antimicrobial use and to prevent the emergence and spread of drug resistance which affects the human, animal, and environmental sectors. And their use also plays a beneficial role in climate change, as the increase of animal productivity diminish the Greenhouse gas emission per kg of animal food produced.
Vaccination has a big impact on everyone's health. Be part of the solution and get vaccinated!

Image Credits: Mat Napo, Unsplash.