This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
One Health Day showcases how people's health connected to animals, environmental health
Today is the first-ever “One Health Day,” an initiative to draw attention to how the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment.
The physical, mental and emotional benefits of having a pet are well-documented, as well are the possible risks from humans and animals interacting.
“Humans and animals have much in common. They share issues of health and disease and co-exist in common environments,” Karen Remley, MD, FAAP, executive vice president and CEO, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Janet Donlin, DVM, CAE, CEO, American Veterinary Medical Association, said in a joint statement. “Advancing technologies and science-based evidence are increasing awareness, knowledge, and understanding of these interdependencies, further supporting the concept of One Health.”
According to CDC’s website, “One Health” is not a new idea, but the idea behind it has become more critical over the past few years, since zoonotic diseases make up 75% of today’s emerging infectious diseases.
In recognition of One Health Day, Healio Family Medicine presents some of the latest research and news regarding the beneficial and potentially hazardous relationships between people and animals:
Service dogs can detect hypoglycemia, alert companion
Service dogs trained to identify hypoglycemia in their human companions can correctly identify the condition and sound a timely alert, according to study findings presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions. Read more
Backyard poultry linked to increasing Salmonella outbreaks in US
The increasing popularity of backyard poultry flocks has been associated with an increase in salmonellosis outbreaks that have particularly impacted children, according to a study that examined all reported cases of salmonellosis in the United States during a 25-year period. Read more
Pet dogs may lower odds for childhood anxiety
Having a pet dog in the home was associated with a decreased likelihood of childhood anxiety, according to findings in Preventing Chronic Disease. Read more
Cat scratch disease in US primarily affects South, children
People living in the southern United States and children aged 5 to 9 years are at greatest risk for contracting cat scratch disease, according to a retrospective analysis of all nationally diagnosed cases of the infection from 2005 to 2013. Read more
Pets in the bedroom may be beneficial to sleep
An analysis of patient questionnaires and interviews found that pets were more often unobtrusive or beneficial to sleep than disruptive, according to data published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Read more
Children at highest risk for contracting Salmonella from turtles
Children, particularly those aged younger than 5 years, and Hispanics were most affected by multistate outbreaks of Salmonella derived from small turtles from 2011 to 2013, according to recent research in Pediatrics. Read more
Animal companions reduce social anxiety in children with ASD
Social anxiety, as measured by skin conductance responses, decreased in children with autism spectrum disorder when animals were present, according to a recent study. Read more
The role of service dog training in the treatment of combat-related PTSD
In response to the critical need for adjunctive treatments for soldiers with refractory forms of mental injury — primarily posttraumatic stress disorder — the US military is developing complementary and alternative medicine techniques, including animal-assisted intervention. Read more
Additional reading:
http://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/one-health-day.html
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2016/a1102-one-health-day.html
Disclosures: Remley is employed by the AAP, Donlin is employed by AVMA.