One Health

One Health
Specialty	Public health, Veterinary medicine, Environmental science

One Health. It is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems. This transdisciplinary concept recognizes that the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment are closely linked and interdependent. The approach mobilizes multiple sectors, disciplines, and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems.

Definition and concept

The core concept posits that human health cannot be viewed in isolation from the health of other species and the shared environment. This holistic framework is championed by major global institutions including the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Organisation for Animal Health. It explicitly acknowledges the complex interactions between population growth, agricultural expansion, climate change, and international travel in driving the emergence of diseases. The approach is fundamentally collaborative, requiring the coordinated efforts of professionals in public health, veterinary medicine, ecology, and agriculture.

Historical background

The interconnectedness of human and animal health has been observed for centuries, with figures like Hippocrates and Rudolf Virchow noting parallels. The modern formulation gained significant traction following outbreaks of avian influenza and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in the early 21st century. Key milestones include the 2004 Manhattan Principles developed at a symposium organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society. This was followed by the 2010 Tripartite Agreement between the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Organisation for Animal Health, which formalized global collaboration.

Key principles and approach

The approach is built on principles of equity, socio-ecological systems thinking, and multisectoral cooperation. It employs integrated surveillance systems, such as those tracking zoonotic diseases like Ebola virus disease and Lassa fever. A cornerstone is the comparative medicine perspective, where studies in species like dogs or non-human primates inform understanding of conditions like cancer or obesity. The methodology often involves joint risk assessments and the development of shared platforms for data exchange between agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Department of Agriculture.

Applications and examples

Practical applications are vast, prominently including pandemic preparedness for pathogens like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and COVID-19. It guides the fight against antimicrobial resistance through stewardship programs linking human clinics, veterinary practices, and agricultural use. In food safety, it addresses contaminants from farm to fork, tackling issues like salmonellosis and bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Environmental applications include managing the health impacts of pollution in the Ganges River or deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

Challenges and criticisms

Implementation faces significant hurdles, including institutional silos between ministries of health and agriculture, and competition for limited funding. Critics argue the concept can be overly broad, making it difficult to define measurable outcomes or assign clear accountability. There are also concerns about equitable representation, ensuring voices from Global South nations and indigenous communities, such as those in the Congo Basin, are heard in global policy forums. Logistically, integrating disparate data streams from NASA satellites to local clinic records remains a technical and ethical challenge.

Future directions

Future efforts are focusing on building legal and policy frameworks to institutionalize the approach, potentially through amendments to the International Health Regulations. Technological advances in fields like genomics and artificial intelligence offer new tools for predictive modeling of spillover events. There is a growing emphasis on planetary health, connecting the framework more explicitly to the Sustainable Development Goals and treaties like the Paris Agreement. Expanding education through initiatives at institutions like the University of Edinburgh and the University of California, Davis is critical for training the next generation of practitioners.

Category:Public health Category:Veterinary medicine Category:Environmental science