Veterinärmedizinische Wissenschaft und Technologie

A Review on Confronting Zoonoses: The Role of Veterinarian and Physician

Abstract

Kebede Shanko, Jelalu Kemal and Dufera Kenea

Zoonoses are diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans. The organisms causing zoonoses include viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and other parasites, with both domestic and wild animals acting as reservoirs for the pathogens. Zoonoses comprise interaction between at least three species: one pathogen and two host species (animals and humans). They can be transmitted directly by contact with infected animals (e.g. rabies, through bite), via contaminated environment (e.g., anthrax) and via food (e.g., campylobacteriosis) or indirectly via vectors, such as mosquitoes or ticks (e.g., West Nile fever and Lyme disease, respectively).There are many factors influencing the zoonoses diseases. The convergence model organizes the potential factors into a series of broad domains that include: socioeconomic and biological factors; ecological and environmental factors; and the interface of domestic animals, wildlife, and human factors. Zoonoses have affected human health throughout times, and wildlife and domestic animals have always played a role for the transmission of the disease which is public health threats worldwide. So success in the preventing and controlling of major zoonoses depend on the capability to mobilize resources in different sectors and on coordination and intersectoral approaches, especially, between national (or international) veterinary and public health services.