Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Veterinary public health: past success, new opportunities.
- Journal:
- Preventive veterinary medicine
- Year:
- 2008
- Authors:
- Steele, James Harlan
- Affiliation:
- University of Texas-Houston · United States
Plain-English summary
Animal diseases can lead to human illnesses, and history shows that many outbreaks have started from animals, both wild and domesticated. Over time, the focus on preventing food-related illnesses has helped shape how veterinary medicine supports public health. Important events and individuals in history have played a role in controlling these diseases, and understanding this background helps us see how veterinary public health continues to evolve. In the U.S., veterinarians have successfully tackled major animal health issues that could affect people, and these experiences can guide other countries. However, we must remember that new diseases can still emerge, so it's important to stay alert and use both past knowledge and new technologies to protect both human and animal health.
Abstract
Animal diseases are known to be the origin of many human diseases, and there are many examples from ancient civilizations of plagues that arose from animals, domesticated and wild. Records of attempts to control zoonoses are almost as old. The early focus on food-borne illness evolved into veterinary medicine's support of public health efforts. Key historical events, disease outbreaks, and individuals responsible for their control are reviewed and serve as a foundation for understanding the current and future efforts in veterinary public health. Animal medicine and veterinary public health have been intertwined since humans first began ministrations to their families and animals. In the United States, the veterinary medical profession has effectively eliminated those major problems of animal health that had serious public health ramifications. These lessons and experiences can serve as a model for other countries. Our past must also be a reminder that the battle for human and animal health is ongoing. New agents emerge to threaten human and animal populations. With knowledge of the past, coupled with new technologies and techniques, we must be vigilant and carry on.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18417229/