Future trends in veterinary public health and emerging viral diseases

Abstract

Veterinary Public Health (VPH) is currently defined as "the slim of all contribusions to the physical, melltal and social well-being of humans through an understanding and application of veterinalry science" (WHO 1999). This definition is more consistent with the values. goals and targets of the WHO vision 'Health for all in the 21 st century". Human health is strongly linked to animal health and production. This link between human and animal populations, and with the surrounding environment. is particularly close in developing regions where animals provide transportation. draught power, fuel and clothing as well as proteins (meat, eggs and milk). In both developing and industrialized countries. however, this can lead to a serious risk to public health with severe economic consequences. A number of communicable diseases known as zoonoses are transmitted from animals to humans. Veterinary medicine has a long and distinguished history of contributing to the maintenance and promotion of public health. Approximately 90 percent of the worldwide burden of all causes of death and disability occur in developing regions of the world but only 10 percent of all health care funds are spent in these regions (WIIO & World Bank). Six communicable disease categories that include pneumonia and infiuenza. AIDS. diarrhoeal disease. tuberculosis. malaria and mcasles are responsible for 90 percent of the estimated 13.3 million deaths in children and young aduits worldwide due to major infectious and parasitic diseases. Zoonotic agents contribute in several of these categories. Livestock disease control programmes in developing countries and countries in transition are often established, even though not very critically, on their economic importance. As a result zoonotic control programmes may not be seriously considered, especially if they do not apparently impact animal heahh and produclion. Obviously, there is a need to be¬ter define the economic impact of zoonoses and other veterinary public health problems with ‘burden of disease' analyses, as used by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank.