Author: ibeange

Drivers for occasional spillover event of Ebola virus

A EFSA report shows that “understanding the drivers of Ebola virus spillover in West Africa requires a broad, multi-disciplinary perspective”. Experts identified the drivers through a literature review, grouped them according to social, technological, environmental, economic, and political categories and identified and visualised links. Their analysis is a nice example of the application of a One Health approach to understanding disease emergence.

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/4161

Link to report: http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/intersectoral_collaboration_to_defeat_zoonoses/en/

A new WHO report urges the global community to accelerate action against neglected zoonotic diseases as most of them can be controlled through existing knowledge and tools.

‘The Control of Neglected Zoonotic Diseases: from advocacy to action’ report highlights the potential for intersectoral collaboration and discusses opportunities for innovative funding mechanisms.

“We have existing knowledge and evidence that can be transformed into strategies and applied on a large-scale,” said Dr Dirk Engels, Director, Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, WHO. “We need to be able to capitalize on experience and the growing political commitment to involve other sectors, with community participation, to speed up the elimination agenda.”

Chapter 2 of the report focuses on The value of intersectoral working – One Health and includes case studies and audience opinion on the question:  “Which ‘building block’ do you feel is the most important for the promotion of cross-sectoral collaboration in your region?”

Download the report from the WHO website: http://www.who.int/neglected_diseases/intersectoral_collaboration_to_defeat_zoonoses/en/

NEOH member Barry McMahon and colleagues have recently published two One Health articles:

Targets to increase food production: One Health implications

Infection Ecology and Epidemiology 2015, 5: 27708

http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/iee.v5.27708

Antimicrobial Resistance in Wildlife: Implications for Public Health

Zoonoses and Public Health. doi: 10.1111/zph.12182

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/zph.12182/full

http://europa.eu/expo2015/node/286

The European Commission launched an online consultation on the role of research in global food and nutrition security. The aim of the consultation is to gather the views of stakeholders, citizens and the scientific community on the role that research has to play in tackling the challenges associated with ensuring food and nutrition security. We want an open and forward-looking debate with stakeholders to encourage dynamic and evidence-based policy making to tackle the many pressing challenges associated with food and nutrition security.

The questions are based on the discussion paper, http://europa.eu/expo2015/sites/default/files/files/FINAL_Expo-Discussion-paper_lowQ%281%29.pdf , with the same title prepared by the Steering Committee, http://europa.eu/expo2015/scientific-programme . The paper analyses research and innovation challenges, looks at areas of research where the EU can add most value and discusses the necessary changes in the structures within which research has traditionally been conducted. It identifies areas of research where the EU can add most value.

The consultation will remain open for contributions until the 1st September 2015.