Increasing Public Awareness on World Zoonoses Day UPSC

WORLD ZOONOSES DAY

Source: MDPI

Disclaimer: Copyright infringement not intended.

Context

World Zoonoses Day is celebrated annually on July 6, marking the first successful rabies vaccine administered by Louis Pasteur in 1885.
Raises awareness about zoonotic diseases and promotes preventive measures to protect public health.

Details

Zoonotic and Non-Zoonotic Diseases

Zoonotic Diseases:
- Definition: Infectious diseases that can transfer between animals and humans.
- Examples: Rabies, anthrax, influenza (H1N1 and H5N1), Nipah, COVID-19, brucellosis, and tuberculosis.
- Causes: Various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi.
Non-Zoonotic Diseases:
- Definition: Diseases that affect animals but do not pose a risk to human health.
- Examples: Foot & Mouth Disease, PPR (Peste des Petits Ruminants), Lumpy Skin Disease, Classical Swine Fever, and Ranikhet Disease.

Importance of Differentiation

Public Health Strategy: Understanding which diseases are zoonotic is crucial for effective public health strategies.
Preventing Fear and Stigma: Differentiating between zoonotic and non-zoonotic diseases helps reduce unnecessary fear and stigmatization of animals.

India's Livestock Population

Livestock: 536 million livestock, accounting for approximately 11% of the global livestock population.
Poultry: 851 million poultry, making up about 18% of the global poultry population.
Production: Largest producer of milk and second-largest producer of eggs globally.

Case Study: African Swine Fever (ASF)

Location: Detected in Madakkatharan Panchayath, Thrissur district, Kerala.

First Reported: May 2020 in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, now spread to 24 States/UTs in India.

Current Response: Rapid Response Teams formed, culling of pigs within a 1 km radius, and ongoing surveillance within a 10 km radius.

Non-Zoonotic Nature: ASF cannot spread to humans; currently, there are no vaccines for ASF.

Prevention and Control Measures

Vaccination: Campaigns for Brucella vaccination of bovine calves and rabies vaccination.
Hygiene and Animal Husbandry Practices: Ensuring good hygiene and proper animal husbandry to prevent disease spread.
Vector Control: Measures to control disease-carrying vectors.
One Health Approach: Collaboration among veterinarians, medical professionals, and environmental scientists to address zoonotic diseases comprehensively.

Nationwide Campaigns and Collaborative Efforts

National Action Plan for Control of ASF: Implemented in 2020 for outbreak response.
Brucella Vaccination Campaign: Under the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP).
Rabies Vaccination: Under the Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases (ASCAD).
National Joint Outbreak Response Team (NJORT): Collaboration of experts from various ministries and departments for outbreak investigations.

Impact of Zoonotic Diseases

Public Health: Significant morbidity and mortality; potential to cause pandemics.
Economic: Costs related to healthcare, animal culling, and trade restrictions.
Social: Fear and stigma associated with outbreaks; impact on livelihoods, especially in agriculture and animal husbandry.

Summary of Common Zoonotic Diseases

Disease	Pathogen	Transmission Mode	Symptoms in Humans	Prevention
Rabies	Virus	Animal bites (usually from dogs)	Fever, headache, excess salivation, muscle spasms, paralysis, confusion	Vaccination of pets, avoiding stray animals, post-exposure prophylaxis
Anthrax	Bacteria (Bacillus anthracis)	Contact with infected animals or products	Skin sores, respiratory issues, gastrointestinal distress	Vaccination of livestock, protective clothing, proper handling of animal products
Avian Influenza (H5N1)	Virus	Respiratory droplets from infected birds	Fever, cough, sore throat, severe respiratory issues	Avoiding contact with infected birds, proper handling of poultry, vaccination
Nipah Virus	Virus	Contact with infected bats, pigs, or people	Fever, headache, drowsiness, disorientation, respiratory issues	Avoiding consumption of raw date palm sap, avoiding contact with infected animals
COVID-19	Virus (SARS-CoV-2)	Respiratory droplets, close contact	Fever, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, loss of taste/smell	Vaccination, wearing masks, social distancing, hand hygiene
Brucellosis	Bacteria (Brucella spp.)	Contact with infected animals or products, consumption of unpasteurized dairy products	Fever, sweats, malaise, anorexia, muscle pain	Vaccination of livestock, pasteurization of dairy products, protective clothing
Bovine Tuberculosis (TB)	Bacteria (Mycobacterium bovis)	Inhalation of aerosols from infected animals, consumption of contaminated products	Persistent cough, chest pain, weight loss	Testing and culling of infected livestock, pasteurization of dairy products
Leptospirosis	Bacteria (Leptospira spp.)	Contact with water or soil contaminated by urine of infected animals	Fever, headache, muscle pain, jaundice	Avoiding contaminated water, protective clothing, vaccination of pets
Ebola Virus Disease	Virus	Contact with blood or bodily fluids of infected animals or humans	Fever, severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, hemorrhage	Avoiding contact with infected individuals or animals, protective clothing, proper burial practices
Plague	Bacteria (Yersinia pestis)	Flea bites from infected rodents	Fever, chills, weakness, swollen lymph nodes	Control of rodent populations, use of insect repellent, antibiotics for exposed individuals

Sources:

Pib

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q: Collaborative efforts and the One Health approach are essential in mitigating the risks associated with zoonotic diseases and ensuring a safer environment for all. Discuss. (250 Words)