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High incidence of newly emerging disease linked to animals
A UK Parliament Report has suggested that more than three quarters of newly emerging human infections are linked to animal disease. The report claims that a pandemic is ‘inevitable' and could kill millions of people around the world, with considerable economic disruption.
Animal Pharm reports that ‘the House of Lords Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs) Committee has issued a warning that lifestyle changes are increasing the risk of zoonotic infections and their spread around the planet, while existing international organizations are not well suited to combating their advance.
‘The peers were specifically addressing the effectiveness of IGOs, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), which the UK supports financially, in tackling the global spread of infectious diseases.'
Advances in standards of public health and human medicine during the 20th century have virtually eradicated a number of diseases, but the ubiquity of travel, together with lifestyle changes - including a greater degree of challenge to the public understanding and support of vaccination -has led to a dramatic re-emergence of certain diseases, such as measles, in the UK.
The report warns that, on average, a previously unknown pathogen emerges somewhere every year. Additionally, resistance to antibiotics means that some previously relatively well-controlled pathogens, such as tuberculosis and malaria are increasing again.
Avian influenza and SARS are two well-known examples of animal-to-human infections. It is also clear that, where encouraged by the dynamics of developing trade, increased contact between animals and humans is facilitating the emergence and spread of new diseases, such as H1N1 influenza.
Different perspectives on pandemics.
Published: 20 May 2009
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Tags: Equine, Exotic, Farm animal, News, Small animal
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