Intersectoral collaboration between the medical and veterinary professions in low-resource societies: The role of research and training institutions

Abstract Background Neglected zoonoses continue to significantly affect human health in low-resource countries. A symposium was organised in Antwerp, Belgium, on 5 November 2010 to evaluate how intersectoral collaboration among educational and research institutions could improve the situation. Resul...

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Published in:Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases microbiology and infectious diseases, 2013-05, Vol.36 (3), p.233-239
Main Authors: Marcotty, Tanguy, Thys, Eric, Conrad, Patricia, Godfroid, Jacques, Craig, Philip, Zinsstag, Jakob, Meheus, Filip, Boukary, Abdou Razac, Badé, Mallam Abdou, Sahibi, Hamid, Filali, Hind, Hendrickx, Saskia, Pissang, Cyrille, Van Herp, Michel, van der Roost, Dirk, Thys, Séverine, Hendrickx, David, Claes, Marleen, Demeulenaere, Tine, van Mierlo, Joep, Dehoux, Jean-Paul, Boelaert, Marleen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allergy and Immunology
Animals
Brucellosis - prevention & control
Brucellosis - transmission
Cooperative Behavior
Developing Countries
Echinococcosis - prevention & control
Echinococcosis - transmission
Education
Humans
Infectious Disease
Intersectoral collaboration
Low-resource societies
Neglected zoonoses
One Health
Physicians
Public Health
Veterinarians
Zoonoses - epidemiology
Zoonoses - transmission
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Summary:Abstract Background Neglected zoonoses continue to significantly affect human health in low-resource countries. A symposium was organised in Antwerp, Belgium, on 5 November 2010 to evaluate how intersectoral collaboration among educational and research institutions could improve the situation. Results Brucellosis and echinococcosis were presented as models for intersectoral collaboration. Low-resource societies face evident knowledge gaps on disease distribution, transmission within and across species and impact on human and animal health, precluding the development of integrated control strategies. Recommendations While veterinarians have been the main driver of the One Health initiative, the medical profession does not seem to be fully aware of how veterinary science can contribute to human public health. It was postulated that transdisciplinarity could help fill knowledge gaps and that encouraging such transdisciplinarity should start with undergraduate students. Furthermore, intersectoral collaboration on zoonoses should not ignore the social sciences (e.g. assessment of indigenous knowledge and perception; participatory surveillance), which can contribute to a better understanding of the transmission of diseases and improve communities’ participation in disease control activities.
ISSN:0147-9571
1878-1667
DOI:10.1016/j.cimid.2012.10.009