Category: OH Know More

By Luísa Azevedo, ICBAS

PORTO - It is well known that many chronic diseases occur due to the exposure of the individual to mutagenic elements in the air, water and soil may lead to serious diseases. Cancer is perhaps the most well-known case of a disease where the environmental exposure has a more pertinent causative effect. Cancer is, however, far from being the only example because pollution can also increase the risk of many other diseases. Among these are chronic respiratory problems, skin and cardiovascular diseases. Because we all share the same environment, the pathogenic effect of pollutants can also affect animals, like our companion animals. Under this scenario, how can one adopt a One Health approach to prevent the harmful impact of environmental exposure?

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.

Under the One Health perspective, it is however possible to take some serious steps in order to lessen new cases in the future. For instance, maintaining an active life and taking regular physical exercise has been demonstrated to be of utmost importance for a healthier aging process.

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.