One Health and Zoonotic Diseases: A Collaborative Approach to Global Health

“One Health” concept is a worldwide strategy characterized by promoting the integration of human, animal, and environmental health through cross-disciplinary, cross-sectoral, cross-regional communication, and collaboration, aiming to improve health and well-being through the prevention of risks and the mitigation of effects of crises [1]. There was a worldwide consensus on implementing the “One Health” strategy, emphasizing its ability to sustainably improve the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. “One Health” strategy is critical for tackling modern challenges such as emerging zoonotic diseases, food safety, climate change, and antimicrobial resistance. What's more, animal welfare is an essential part of the “One Health” framework, with animal and human health and the environment being interconnected [2].

Annually, the health of untold millions of lives around the world are threatened by existing or novel emerging zoonotic diseases. Emerging or re-emerging of the zoonotic infectious diseases is suggested to be promoted by increasing human–animal contacts, international trade of animals, and the expansion of global travel [3]. The transmission and epidemic of zoonotic diseases is a dynamic process, which is jointly affected by all relevant links among humans, animals, and environment, forming a complex network. Given the more and more serious and complex epidemic of zoonotic diseases that have become a globally substantial risk to the health of animals and humans, it is clear that the “One Health” concept must be addressed for combating emerging zoonotic diseases at the human–animal–environment interface. When the practice of “One Health” concept is properly implemented, it will be an effective strategy to tackle zoonotic diseases. The European Union and the United States have provided funding to support interdisciplinary research within the “One Health” strategy, such as research on interventions for emerging zoonotic diseases and early warning systems of threats to humans from animals [4]. It is reported that investing in the “One Health” concept to mitigate pandemics by reducing the impact of their underlying drivers are likely to be more effective than business as usual, saving over $300 billion worldwide over the next century [5]. A five-step framework, “Generalizable One Health Framework (GOHF)”, was developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which provides structure for using the “One Health” approach in zoonotic disease programs being implemented in technical domains including laboratory, surveillance, joint outbreak response, prevention and control, preparedness, communication, and government and policy at the local, sub-national, national, regional, or international level [6]. In China, the “One Health” concept is gaining recognition as an effective way to fight against zoonotic diseases at the human–animal–environment interface, and comprehensive prevention and control of Brucellosis, COVID-19, Schistosomiasis japonica, or plague was the concrete practice of the “One Health” concept.

Even practice of the “One Health” concept has been successfully applied to combat zoonotic diseases, fragmented communication between human and animal health sectors remains a barrier and the special issue on the “One Health” concept in animal journals remains rare. This research topic in Animal Research and One Health aims to collect the discoveries on “One Health” concept and zoonotic diseases in the animal population worldwide, covering environmental health, animal health, animal welfare, and zoonotic diseases prevention and control.

Inappropriate animal and human excreta management can both contribute to the pollution of the environment (e.g., water and soils) and the spread of antimicrobial resistance and hence need to be managed jointly [7]. Fruit and vegetable peels are often regarded as waste, leading to the pollution of the environment. In our research topic, Haider et al. summarized the environmental and nutritional values of fruit and vegetable peels as animal feed, showing that these peels can enhance animal health as well as the utilization of peels for animal feed can significantly reduce organic waste accumulation and greenhouse gas emissions associated with waste decomposition. Unequivocally, there is a warming of planet Earth since the 1950s, with increased temperatures of the atmosphere [7]. Permanent exposure to ambient temperature (higher than 30°C) for broiler chicken will induce stressful behavioral responses that threaten animal health. In our research topic, Cyrille d’Alex et al. evaluated the effects of a terracotta drinker and/or the water supplementation with ASPRO-C Plus on the zootechnical performance and physiological response of broiler chickens reared in hot climate. Swift environmental degradation of dsRNA addresses concerns about residual effects and environmental pollution. In our research topic, Huang et al. summarized the developmental trajectory of RNA-based biopesticides from theoretical discoveries to technological maturity, demonstrating that RNA-based biopesticides offer the potential to specifically target pathogens without harming aquaculture organisms or the environment. Animal welfare has been a concern in many societies for decades now, as well as it is an integral part of human and environmental health, influencing farmed animals with the safety of the food chain and incidence of food-borne diseases [8]. In our research topic, Dixon wrote a brief commentary to highlight the importance of animal welfare science in animal research and “One Health”. Cornée–Overton also wrote a brief commentary focusing on the citedness of animal welfare research in policy using the Overton database to provide insights into citation patterns of the research.

It is widely known that zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases that are naturally transmitted from free-living animals to humans by direct contact, inhalation, ingestion, or inoculation of infectious material, contributing to 61% of infectious organisms affecting humans [9, 10]. In the 21st century, the number of novel emerging zoonotic diseases originated from animals, such as SARS, zika virus, yellow fever virus, dengue virus and avian influenza, is increasing. In our research topic, Liang et al. elucidated the diversity and abundance of viruses in non-human primates, and assessed which viruses pose the greatest potential risk of zoonotic transmission to humans. Brucellosis caused by a Gram-negative Brucella spp. is a common zoonosis which seriously jeopardizes the health and safety of animals and human beings [11]. To date, an animal vaccination campaign is sought as the most effective control strategy for preventing the spread of brucellosis in high-prevalence regions. In our research topic, Li et al. obtained a rough mutant strain RA343 by inducing Brucella antisera, suggesting that the RA343 strain is a promising novel vaccine candidate to protect animals from B. abortus and B. melitensis infections. mRNA vaccines have been used since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in 2020. In our research topic, Alam et al. wrote a brief commentary to discuss progress in developing mRNA vaccines as a promising healthcare strategy against Mpox. Salmonella is a host-restricted pathogen that causes a variety of diseases in both humans and animals [12]. In our research topic, Wu et al. investigated the genomic characteristics of Salmonella pullorum globally and further examined its evolution and antibiotic-resistance genes in China. Poultry coccidiosis is a globally prevalent disease in the poultry industry caused primarily by the parasitization of intestinal epithelial cells by various species of Eimeria [13]. In our research topic, Chen et al. outlined the therapeutic potential of natural products in the treatment of coccidiosis and the modes of action to effectively control coccidiosis.

Taken together, environmental health, animal health, animal welfare, and zoonotic diseases prevention and control were addressed in our research topic, which is of great significance for practice of the “One Health” concept to achieve global health.

Peng Li: conceptualization, formal analysis, supervision, funding acquisition, writing – original draft, writing – review and editing. Jiabo Ding: conceptualization, formal analysis, funding acquisition, writing – original draft, writing – review and editing.

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.