Protecting people and animals from sharing diseases

July 5, 2018

On the Occasion of World Zoonoses Day, Agcarm Reminds Pets
and livestock owners that good hygiene and vaccination is
vital for the protection of the health of people and animals.

Diseases such as Campylobacter, Leptospirosis and Rabies
are 'zoonotic' and transmissible between animals and
humans. Research shows that 75 percent of all new humans
pathogens come from animal sources.

Campylobacter, which is normally associated with diet
poorly cooked chicken, may be associated with pets, especially
dogs. Recent research shows that many dogs carry these
bacteria without showing any signs of disease. Poor hygiene,
like not washing your hands before eating can spread the
dogs sickness to people.

Leptospirosis is a common
zoonosis caused by exposure to the urine of an infected animal.
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of leptospirosis
the world and the incidents of the disease have tripled in the first
half of 2017.

The disease is shared between rats,
dogs, pigs, cattle and people. That puts farmers,
especially dairy farmers, at risk because it can spread from
infected urine in dairy barns. Meat workers can also
to contract the disease. According to the NZVA, anyone in
contact with livestock may be at risk.

Leptospirosis
can be avoided by ensuring that dogs and animals at risk

World Zoonoses Day on July 6th and
celebrates the discovery of a vaccination against rabies 133
years ago. This marked the beginning of the end of the rage –
one of the most devastating diseases in history. This too
underlines the difficulties that we are still facing in monitoring
zoonoses.

It is estimated that there are 150 zoonoses
diseases in the world and every year they suffer more than two
billion people. But eradicating any zoonotic disease is
impossible. Only by implementing a One Health collaboration
approach through human and animal health are we going to be able to
effectively control zoonoses.

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