Public health issues related to industrial food animal production; A One Health approach to the leading cause of death in children

Beth Feingold, PhD, MPH, MESc, is the Pim Postdoctoral Fellow in Global Change in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department at The Johns Hopkins University. She is interested in geography and health, particularly the impact of industrial food animal production, climate, land use change and city planning on public health. Her One Health talk focused on public health issues related to industrial food animal production.

Dr. Feingold wanted us to take home 3 messages from her talk: 1) Industrial food animal production poses a number of threats to public health in the forms of air pollution, water pollution, environmental justice issues, emerging pathogens, and antibiotic resistant bacteria, 2) There are many challenges to quantifying the nature and magnitude of these effects, and to balancing risks, and 3) A One Health approach could help mitigate environmental, veterinary and human health risks posed by the food animal production system.

Dr. Beth Feingold explains the One Health challenges associated with industrial food animal production.

She began her talk by the defining Animal Feeding Operations (AFO) and providing a historical basis for modern industrial food animal production. In the past few decades, AFOs in the United States have become concentrated into fewer, large-scale operations. These farming operations face challenges such as wide-scale antibiotic use to preserve animal health and animal waste management. AFOs are connected with their surrounding communities and have substantial impacts on environmental and public health. Air and water pollution affect the people throughout a region; documented health effects include respiratory symptoms, headaches, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, decreased quality of life, and bacterial infection. These issues are compounded when natural disasters cause the flooding of animal waste processing sites, polluting the water and spreading pathogens across a region. Farm workers, in particular, are exposed to pathogens through multiple pathways on a regular basis.

According to Dr. Feingold, there are 3 main challenges that we currently face. First, it is difficult to characterize the cumulative effect of chemical, microbial, social, and economic stressors in diverse populations. Second, the food animal production industry is difficult to penetrate for scientists, and the externalities of production place a disproportionate burden on rural communities. Third, institutional and political barriers make it difficult to monitor industry externalities and ensure accountability.

William K. Pan, PhD, MPH, is the Assistant Professor of Global Environmental Health in the Nicholas School of Environment at Duke University, an Affiliate with the Duke Global Health Institute, and an Associate at the Duke Population Research Institute. Dr. Pan is interested in expanding the scope of One Health to include more disciplinary lenses, especially to fields outside of human and veterinary medicine. His One Health talk focused on diarrheal disease as a leading cause of death in children, risk factors of diarrhea, and a comprehensive approach to prevention and control.

Dr. William Pan contends that a One Health approach to diarrheal disease in children should also take into account perspectives of city planners, demographers, and veterinarians.

Dr. Pan began his talk by outlining the etiology of diarrheal disease in young children. He presented a model of diarrhea, malnutrition, and enteric infection that showed how diarrhea and malnutrition led to a vicious cycle that increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections. There are a variety of causes of diarrhea and infectious agents of diarrhea include many strains of bacteria, viruses, parasitic protozoa, and parasitic worms. A systematic review showed that ETEC and V. cholerae O1/O139 were the leading cause of hospitalizations, while Salmonella, Shigella, and E. histolytica were the most frequently isolated pathogens in outpatient settings. There are multiple paths to pathogen exposure, such as poor sanitation and water quality, hygiene, food preparation, flooding, animal husbandry, and animal vectors. However, Dr. Pan is concerned that underlying determinants such as birth rates, population density, and the built environment are routinely ignored. He brought up a story to accompany a photograph he took on one of his research trips to South America. In a boat, we could see a mother nursing an infant, along with 5 more young children. Dr. Pan pointed out that cultural preferences (or necessities) for high birth rates and large families are a barrier to diarrheal disease control. He proposed that the WHO enteric disease prevention plan would benefit from a One Health approach that adds perspectives from city planners, demographers, and veterinarians.

Post authored by Patrick Yao Tang MPH candidate 2012, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC Chapel Hill

Up Next (27 March 2012):

Emergence of a zoonotic tropical disease in the United States: visceral leishmaniasis

Christine Petersen, DVM, PhD, Assistant Professor of Veterinary Pathology at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine

WaSH and One Health; Microbial impacts of animal agriculture on water quality and human health risks

Before he became the director of the Water Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009, Dr. Jamie Bartram spent ten years at the World Health Organization coordinating water, sanitation, hygiene and health.  He has worked in about 40 developing and developed countries and describes himself as a “generalist” in water and health.

Dr. Bartram began his lecture by asking the audience for estimates on how much disease could be prevented by better managing water, sanitation and hygiene.  Estimates ranged greatly, reaching as high as 90%.  Although the correct answer was that “almost one tenth of the global disease burden could be prevented by improving water supply, sanitation, hygiene and management of water resources," we later learned that this is most likely an underestimation. 

Dr. Jamie Bartram, PhD (Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering at UNC) discusses WaSH and One Health.

Water risk factors comprise a medium to transmit pathogens and toxic chemicals, services that contribute to disease prevention and conversely the absence of which increase diseases risk, the development of natural resources and ecosystems, and behaviors (far fewer people wash their hands after using the restroom than we would hope!).  The major causes of water-related morbidity and mortality include diarrhea, malnutrition and malnutrition-associated disease, drowning, malaria, intestinal infections, trachoma, and schistosomiasis.  Diarrhea and the consequences of diarrhea are responsible for 65% of the Disability-Adjusted Life Years (the sum of years of potential life lost due to premature mortality and the years of productive life lost due to disability).

Dr. Bartram’s other take home points were that 1) interventions to improve water safety are cost-effective, returning $3-$4 to each dollar invested; 2) policy goals such as the Millennium Development Goals are inadequately ambitious; and 3) multidisciplinary collaboration is necessary and water safety is in part the responsibility of health professionals.

The second speaker, Dr. Mark D. Sobsey, is a Kenan Distinguished Professor of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.  Dr. Sobsey specializes in Environmental Health Microbiology and Water Sanitation and Hygiene.  His lecture focused on the human and environmental risks of waterborne pathogens associated with food animal production systems.

Dr. Mark Sobsey, MS, PhD (Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering at UNC; Director, Environment Microbiology Laboratory at UNC) discusses the microbial impacts of animal agriculture on water quality and human health risks.

Food animals such as swine, poultry, and cattle are often fed antibiotics in their diet to fight pathogenic bacteria.  The use of antibiotics leads to the development and fecal excretion of high concentrations of both the antibiotic resistant bacteria and the antibiotics.  Dr. Sobsey explained the importance of managing the manure waste of these animals so that the bacteria, as well as other pathogens that infect the animals, do not contaminate ambient waters.  He presented evidence that these pathogens currently do infect ambient waters and that there presence might pose risks to human health such as waterborne outbreaks.

Dr. Sobsey’s presentation really emphasized the interconnectedness between humans, animals, and the environment as well as the value of One Health’s holistic approach to the prevention of disease and the maintenance of both animal and human health.

Post authored by Mary Key, A.B. (UNC Master’s in Public Health Candidate)

Up Next (20 March): 

                        A One Health approach to the leading cause of death in children

William Pan, PhD, Assistant Professor of Global Environmental Health at Duke

Public health issues related to industrial food animal production

                        Beth Feingold, MPH, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns Hopkins University

The West Nile Virus Outbreak of 1999: A Compelling Argument for One Health

Dr. Tracey S. McNamara, DVM, DACVP (Professor of Pathology at Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine) presented a fascinating overview of the chronology of the response to the West Nile virus outbreak of 1999.  She highlighted the deficits present in our system of response, and brought to light the many yet-unanswered questions regarding how emerging zoonotic diseases are handled in the U.S.  A somewhat routine story of an emerging zoonotic disease outbreak took on new urgency and revealed conflicts when presented through the lens of the One Health concept.

Click here to view this presentation.

A graduate of the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Dr. McNamara was working as the Bronx Zoo’s senior zoo pathologist at the time of the West Nile virus outbreak.  She currently serves in leading a collaborative effort with Russian colleagues on the “Human-Animal Interface” project as part of the Nuclear Threat Initiative’s Global Health and Biosecurity program in DC.

Dr. McNamara detailed how the initial discovery of dead crows on the zoo grounds coincided with an outbreak of what was thought to be St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) in New York City.  Necropsy of the affected birds revealed gross findings consistent with meningoencephalitis, and subsequent histopathology, virology, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry confirmed that the birds were infected with the flavivirus West Nile virus.  Several facts pointed to the possibility that citizens of New York were not suffering from SLE.  Populations of sentinel birds in the zoo, who should have been affected were the culprit SLE, were thriving.  It became apparent to Dr. McNamara that perhaps WNV was affecting zoo avians and people in New York.  If so, this would be the first time the US would be facing a rapidly spreading zoonotic disease that had crossed species’ boundaries.

During the course of trying to work across agencies and confirm the zoonotic outbreak, Dr. McNamara faced tremendous obstacles in resources, available information, and more importantly, cooperation between human and veterinary medicine.  It required her persistent, assertive approach to finally establish the link and to reveal that indeed, WNV was the cause of both avian and human infections and illness.

Dr. McNamara’s recounting of the challenges she faced in establishing the cause of the outbreak revealed the inefficiencies, gaps, and vulnerabilities in facing a zoonotic disease outbreak.  Ten years later, no clear contingency plan exists, yet zoonoses are three times more likely to be emerging than non-zoonotic diseases.  The WNV outbreak is the perfect story to illustrate the need for a One Health approach.

The session concluded with several salient questions for which there are as of yet no clear answers.  The U.S. faces vulnerabilities to bioterrorism that can be met with the concept of interface between medical, veterinary, public health, and environmental agencies working together.  The need for the One Health approach is evident.  What are needed now are the practical and consistent applications of that approach.  This was an excellent presentation that illustrated that interdisciplinary cooperation is imperative.

Post authored by Jennifer S. Huff, RN

Graduate Student, UNC MPH Public Health Leadership Program

Up next (13 Mar):  

WaSH and One Health 

Jamie Bartram, PhD, Professor Environmental Sciences & Engineering at UNC

Microbial impacts of animal agriculture on water quality and human health risks

Mark Sobsey, MS, PhD, Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Director, Environmental Microbiology Laboratory at UNC

Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases and One Health

Tonight’s one health discussion was led by Dr. Jürgen Richt, a veterinary microbiologist and distinguished professor at the Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine. He also serves as the director of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD). Dr. Richt shared experiences from his journey in One Health, from practicing large animal medicine to doctoral studies in virology. He provided a working definition and history of one health and why a focus on identifying and preventing emerging infectious diseases is economically important.

Dr. Jürgen Richt

 

A large amount of Dr. Richt’s research has been done on prion diseases, infectious diseases caused by pathogenic agents causing “misfolding” of normal host proteins. Examples given included: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, Scrapie in sheep, Chronic Wasting Disease in cervids, and Transmissible Mink Encephalopathy (TME). BSE has been confirmed as transmissible to humans, causing Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease and its variants, but others such as CWD are still unconfirmed as zoonotic due to long incubation times and difficulty of ante-mortem testing. Dr. Richt developed prion protein (PrP) “knock-out” calves though a series of cloning trials. These calves were tested against normal wild-type cattle inoculated with prion disease (cattle-adapted TME brain homogenate) and monitored in the same facility for signs of disease. By 16 months post-infection, all wild-type animals were showing clinical signs of infection, while the PrP knock out cattle were healthy. These findings were confirmed histologically and immunologically. The prion-deficient cattle developed in this study may be a useful model for prion research and a source of prion-free bovine industrial products.

The topic of discussion was moved to a brief overview of Dr. Richt’s work with swine origin H1N1, in which researchers attempted to recreate pandemic H1N1 in a porcine host. Findings from this study indicated that H1N1 could not be recreated in any of the study animals, raising the question that it may have not been created in the pig, but arose from possible co-infection and reassortment of several viruses in another mixing vessel such as a human or turkey.

Dr. Richt then moved on to introducing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD), which was founded in June of 2010 to develop countermeasures to foreign animal and zoonotic diseases, which have increased in incidence and number over time. Some current projects include the development of vaccines for Rift Valley Fever Virus (RVFV), Foot and Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV), Avian Influenza Virus (AIV), and Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV). Another research goal of CEEZAD is to create unbiased detection of disease agents, such that it is easy for any individual to use in the field. A third area of CEEZAD activity is focused on epidemiological modeling to guide U.S. emergency response to emerging threats, to predict disease, and select geographic locations and species for disease surveillance. An overlay to CEEZAD research themes is the education and outreach of future experts in animal health. A major strength of this established infrastructure is the number of federal, state, industrial, and research partners and collaborators involved with CEEZAD’s vision and mission. 

Post authored by Natalie Padgurskis, DVM (UNC MPH candidate)

Up next (28 Feb):

The West Nile Virus Outbreak of 1999: A Compelling Argument for One Health

Tracey S. McNamara, DVM, DACVP, Professor of Pathology at Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine

Meaningful Uses of Man’s Best Friends

Following Ms. Bailey’s presentation on biosensors, Dr. Larry Glickman (Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UNC) expanded the discussion on the practical uses of animals, namely their use as sentinels. Dr. Glickman received his VMD from Purdue in 1972, and after a 4-5 year career in small animal medicine, he decided to further his education though an MPH and DrPH at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Public Health. It was here that he developed an interest in Toxocara canis, commonly known as Dog Roundworm. Toxocara is a common intestinal parasite found in dogs - over 95% of puppies are infected due to its transplacental and transmamary transmission. Dogs are Toxocara’s natural host thus an infection is not often debilitating, but it became apparent to Dr. Glickman that this was a major health issue due to its zoonotic capabilities and the severe implications of an infection in children. The clinical disease from Toxocara that was the most concerning was Ocular Larva Migrans (OLM), which causes ~3,000 cases of blindness yearly. Because of these staggering numbers, Dr. Glickman focused his thesis at the University of Pittsburgh on the “Development and Evaluation of Diagnostic Tests for Toxocara Infection of Children.” He was able to isolate antigens for an ELISA test to evaluate eye fluid. While this intestinal parasite was thought to be fairly limited to children, a novel case arose in which French women were infected. After some detective work, it was determined that the transmission was due to infected hunting hounds shedding eggs, pigs on the farms ingesting the eggs, the Toxocara larvae were then migrating to the muscle of the pigs, and the women were then ingesting this meat when making and seasoning sausage from these pigs. This case reinforces why the One Health Initiative is so crucial – there are new cases emerging constantly and they can involve and affect any number of populations.

Dr. Larry Glickman discussing animals as sentinels.

Dr. Glickman continued his presentation with Webster’s Dictionary definition of a sentinel as “a person or animal set to guard a group.” One of the first reported uses of animals as sentinels was the use of canaries in coalmines as early detectors of carbon monoxide. Today, with the number of pets at 170 million and growing and with them often thought of as family members, animals are being used as indicators of the human environment more and more frequently. In order to extrapolate information from our pets, the National Companion Animal Surveillance Program partnered with Banfield, and gained access to their expansive centralized electronic medical records. With this database readily accessible, dog tick infestations were easily compared to human Lyme disease incidence, and it became clear that the infestations preceded human disease, reinforcing the sentinel concept. This type of information could be very beneficial, especially if the dialogue is open between physicians and veterinarians. Dr. Glickman continued on the topic of animals as sentinels in a case of a toxic chemical spill in Georgia. Animal records were examined to determine if the human health complaints were directly related to the spill based on animals presenting with similar symptoms at a corresponding time.

Dr. Glickman’s presentation really reinforced the necessity for communication to exist among veterinarians, physicians, and health agencies. Animals can be used as sentinels in a number of ways, from understanding zoonoses and treating infections in humans, to evaluating trends in animal and human health. There are an unlimited number of uses of these sentinels, and as science progresses and the dialogue begins a lot more will be put to use.

Post authored by Gillian Clary, BS (Biology, Chemistry minor)

Up next (21 Feb):

Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases and One Health

Jürgen Richt, DVM, PhD, Collaborator/Associate Professor Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine at Kansas State University; Veterinary Medical Officer National Animal Disease Center

Animal Sentinels: “Biosensors”

Tonight, (14 Feb.) Jacqueline Bailey kicked off the One Health session by presenting information on animal sentinels and their relation to biological sensors. Jacqueline Bailey is an undergraduate at Meredith college pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Biology and an International Studies minor. Her initial interest was in humanities and social sciences, but after receiving a grant to fund a community tree orchard in Mauritania, West Africa her attention turned to the sciences.  After she returned from Africa, she ran the mosquito lab of Dr. Larry Grimes and conducted some of her own research.  She hopes to join the graduate program at UNC Gillings School for Global Public Health.

Jacqueline began with a brief history of how humans have utilized animals to detect specific substances such as the mine canaries as early warning systems for carbon monoxide and methane.  More recently, we have realized that dogs are capable of detecting the onset of seizures and the volatile compounds in tumors associated with cancer due to their extensive olfactory system. Jacqueline shared that dogs have an astonishing 125-150 million scent receptors compared to the 10-15 million that humans have. To elaborate on this point, Jacqueline shared a news story presented on NBC that covered the results of a study that proved dogs could detect lung cancer from smelling the breath of lung cancer patients.  This was a great discovery since lung cancer is very difficult to diagnose early.

Jacqueline Bailey discussing animals as biosensors.

The latter part of the presentation focused on the basic processes of associative learning and the new research occurring with Microplitis croceipes as biological sensors.  Jacqueline discussed Karel vonFrisch’s research on the communication methods of the honeybee which marked the beginning knowledge of associated learning in insects. Over the past few decades Dr. Lewis’s lab has further developed this research with the use of Microplitis croceipes. It appears that dogs and Microplitis croceipes can both be classically conditioned, but unlike dogs, these insects can be trained in minutes.  Furthermore, the process is relatively simple: the insect is exposed to a scent for ten seconds, rewarded with food, and the process is repeated three times.  Realizing the potential use of these wasps, Dr. Lewis teamed up with Dr. Glen Rains to explore the possible uses.

Fortunately, Jacqueline shared that the discoveries were very positive, concluding that Microplitis croceipes can be trained to recognize almost anything, including the detection of volatile compounds in humans. In order to further the use of these insects, the team created the Wasp Hound, which allowed the researchers to contain the Microplitis croceipes in a handheld device that was linked up into a computer. A software program called the Visual Cortex then detects the response of the insect by taking five frames of video per second where the food-searching behavior of the insects is monitored.  In the Wasp Hound there is a small hole where the scent is fanned through, and if the Microplitis croceipes recognize the odor they will crowd to the center.  With the potential to detect volatile compounds, bed bugs, Malaria, TB, and infectious diseases, this technology has a bright future. In fact, Jacqueline announced that Bennett Aerospace is interested in marketing the technology to hotel businesses because the wasps can detect bed bugs. Dr. Brandon Conover, Director of Research at Bennett Aerospace, further explained the plan to put the device into market under the name Smart Hound. Additionally, further research is underway to create a more efficient and technologically advanced Smart Hound that will have better qualitative and quantitative assessment.

Post authored by Madison Roche, NCSU undergraduate majoring in Biology

The Links Between Animal Abuse & Family Violence: Implications for the Medical Professions

Phil Arkow is the coordinator of the National Link Coalition, a Link Consultant for both the SPCA and the Animals and Society Institute, and he also serves as Chair of the Animal Abuse and Family Violence Prevention Project, The Latham Foundation. He is a passionate writer and focuses his writing on violence prevention, humane education, animal-assisted therapy, animal shelter management, and a multidisciplinary approach to the human-animal bond.

Arkow opened the discussion by showing a Venn diagram, illustrating the interconnectedness of four specific arenas: Animal Abuse, Domestic Violence, Child Maltreatment and Elder Abuse. He suggested that we can look at the status of the human condition through the lens of the animals in our lives. While it is almost universally accepted that pets are healthy additions to our lives, Arkow presented that there is a “dark side” to the human-animal bond in that animal abuse is a potential predictor of interpersonal violence. He presented the staggering statistic that 31% of teenagers in Chicago have attended a dog fight, showing the connection that when animals are abused, people are at risk, and when people are abused, animals are at risk. There is a strong correlation between a child growing up abusing animals and the tendency for that child to become an adult who abuses other people.

Phil Arkow shows childrens' drawings that sparked his initial interest in the connections between human and animal abuse.

While there is a “dark side” to the human-animal bond, Arkow suggested that there is great potential to use this relationship not only as an indicator of interpersonal violence, but also as an avenue for healing. He mentioned that medical doctors and veterinarians regularly encounter individuals who may be victims of interpersonal violence, and focusing on animals may be an excellent way to reach out to individuals who may not otherwise expose their struggles. Arkow stated, “If you don’t include the pets in the lives of your patients, you’re missing a big part of the puzzle and the opportunity to build trust and start a conversation.” People love to talk about their pets, and beginning a conversation with a patient or client who may have been involved in interpersonal violence helps build rapport. People will often not call an agency when they witness child abuse because they assume that it is not their place to pass judgment on how others raise or treat their children, but Arkow pointed out that people are more likely to report animal abuse because animals cannot be their own advocate. As a result of this and the link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence, Arkow presented that animal welfare investigators are often the first responders to human abuse cases and should be trained with a multidisciplinary approach to recognize the signs of cruelty, both to animals and humans.

According to the statistics that Arkow presented, more American homes have pets than have children, more money is spent on pet food than baby food in the United States, pet supplies account for the seventh largest U.S. economic sector, and children are more likely to grow up with a pet than with a father. These statistics highlight the importance, prevalence, and potential of animals to influence the human condition. According to a national survey, 49.7% of Americans view their pets as family members, 48.2% view them as companions, and only 2.1% consider their pets to be their property. With the vast majority of individuals relating to their animals in an intimately personal way, there is tremendous potential for the human-animal bond to serve as a catalyst for human healing. Therapeutic horse riding, Animal Assisted Therapy, and Service Animals are examples of ways that animals can help people, and research supports that having animals in our lives improves cardiovascular functioning, helps curb obesity, and improves overall wellness.

Recognizing the substantial influence that animals have on people, Arkow presented three key premises: 1) Perceive and document animal abuse as a human health and welfare issue, 2) Redefine animal abuse as family violence, and 3) Cross-train community caregivers to respond to all forms of family violence. During the One Health seminar, several of the attendees brought up questions about practical ways to integrate these premises into various professions. One veterinarian mentioned that she had a client who would not remove her sunglasses, and it was clearly because she was concealing an injury that she received as a victim of interpersonal violence. The veterinarian said that she felt trapped and unequipped to help this woman, especially since the client had sought her assistance to receive medical treatment for her dog, not for herself. How can veterinarians considerately advocate for their clients? Arkow suggested a simple, yet effective solution: to wear a small button on the outside of a lab coat that says, “It’s OK to talk to me about domestic and family violence.” He said that something as direct and concise as this could open the door for individuals to reach out to their veterinarians or medical doctors for help. Another idea was to pass out emery boards, either for humans or for pets, that have a phone number printed on them to reach a domestic violence helpline. Such gestures are subtle enough to empower individuals to seek the help they need even if they are hesitant to reach for the help initially. It was interesting to learn that 95% of animal abuse cases are the result of neglect, not necessarily malicious violence, and thus can be an indicator of other societal issues. Both medical doctors and veterinarians should be trained to recognize and respond to any such indicators, both human and animal.

Phil Arkow discusses the One Health implications of animal and human abuse.

Phil Arkow’s presentation highlighted the simple yet provoking idea that the way humans treat animals can serve as a mirror by which we observe the human condition, and animals themselves can be an integral part of the healing process. Arkow ended his presentation by stating three questions that we should ask a person to address a potential abuse case in a respectful way by using animals as an unthreatening lens: 1) Are there animals at home? 2) How are they cared for? 3) Are you worried about their welfare? These three questions invite the person, especially a young child, to talk about his or her animals and offer insights into the others relationships in his or her life that could be destructive. The links between animal abuse and family violence is a One Health issue because every person, be it a professional or a passerby, should be aware of interpersonal violence and its indicators, and most people can relate to the intimate ways pets affect people’s lives. It is when we amalgamate public and professional awareness with a universal “game plan” of response that we can finally end animal abuse and interpersonal violence.

Post authored by Mary Pat Bulfin, NCSU undergraduate in Biological Sciences

Up next (14 Feb):

Meaningful Uses of Man’s Best Friends

Larry Glickman, VMD, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health in the Department of Emergency Medicine at UNC

Jacqueline Bailey, BS candidate, Biology and International Studies minor at Meredith College

Pollutants and Environmental Health; Mercury dynamics in aquatic systems: linking natural resource management with human health policy

The fourth weekly session of this semester’s One Health Intellectual Exchange series focused on the impact of environmental toxins on animal and human health and featured presentations by Drs. Joel Meyer and Derek Aday.  Their unique experiences and areas of expertise contributed richness to a complex topic and underscore the importance of One Health’s mission of encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue.

Dr. Meyer, assistant professor at the Nicholas School of the Environment of Duke University, started the night off with an introduction to the concepts of epidemiology and toxicology. Through his lecture, he demonstrated the link between the two fields of study. Specifically, Dr. Myer discusses the ramifications of toxicology on human health and the role of epidemiology through examples of toxins that have been consumed by humans. 

Dr. Joel Meyer, Duke University

Building on Dr. Meyer’s lecture on epidemiology and toxicology, Dr. Aday’s presentation served as an illustrative case study of the relationship between the two fields of study through an examination of mercury accumulation in aquatic life. By explaining the different, and often conflicting, interests of anglers and human health agencies, Dr. Aday demonstrated the difficulties associated with effectively minimizing harm.

Dr. Derek Aday, NCSU

Throughout the evening, one key theme discussed by both speakers is the challenge of determining and communicating toxicity to consumers due to the lack of a uniform definition. From a relative risk perspective, it is difficult to determine the exact harm inflicted by a chemical due to challenges in determining dose-response and the variations of chemical properties that are dependent on contextual factors such as the environment. Additionally, the relative risk imposed by a toxin may be small compared to risks posed by other variables in an individual’s life, making it difficult to set an objective relative risk level on which to intervene. Another factor that complicates this is the multiple stakeholders involved in determining and measuring toxicity, each with its own standards and agendas. The lack of a standardized toxicity measurement across stakeholders contributes to consumer misinformation and highlights the need for multidisciplinary cooperation.

Post authored by Shelly Yu, UNC MPH Candidate

Up next (7 Feb): The Links Between Animal Abuse & Family Violence: Implications for the Medical Professions

Phil Arkow, Coordinator, The National Link Coalition; Link Consultant, ASPCA; Link Consultant, Animals & Society Institute; Chair, Animal Abuse & Family Violence Prevention Project, The Latham Foundation

Tropical Forest Regeneration Patterns and Conservation Strategies in Costa Rica

This week (24 Jan) the second half of the One Health Exchange session focused in on patterns of tropical forest regeneration and their impacts on coastal gradients, and species interaction.  A discussion lead by Dr. Erin Stewart Lindquist PhD (Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences and Coordinator of Environmental Sustainability at Meredith College) centered mainly on her research at the Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve, located on the Pacific side of Costa Rica on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula.

Historically, much of Costa Rica’s forests were either over harvested or cleared for raising cattle and only 15% of the nation’s forests still remain.  The Cabo Blanco Absolute Natural Reserve was first instated in 1963 and thus serves as an excellent opportunity to study forest regeneration. 

In a major publication co-authored by Gini Knight, Common Trees of Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve / Arboles Comunes de la Reserva Natural Absoluta Cabo Blanco, Dr. Lindquist described the forest as having a diverse species richness with seasonal rain and seasonal flowering plants.  But perhaps more importantly, the team described the forest’s environmental gradients comprised of two main areas; a small coastal forest, and a larger inland forest. 

This unique dichotomy gave way to an interesting and profound discovery as Dr. Lindquist began to study two populations of land crabs that lived in the coastal forest.  She described an inverse relationship between the density of the crab populations and tree density, species richness, seed survivorship, and seedling survivorship; needless to say, the crab population held major implications for the forest environment.

Tying it back into our One Health Exchange, a rich understanding of forest regeneration is vital to human, animal, and environmental health.  Forests can serve as an incredible natural resource allowing for the natural production of medicines, food, shelter, fuel, industry, etc.  With so much continual deforestation today, an understanding of how forests regenerate based on human and animal interaction is crucial.

Post authored by Christopher Akiba, UNC MPH candidate

Up next (31 Jan) Pollutants and Environmental Health by Joel Meyer, PhD, Assistant Professor of Environmental Toxicology at Duke and Mercury dynamics in aquatic systems: linking natural resource management with human health policy by Derek Aday, PhD, Associate Professor of Biology at NCSU 

The Neem Tree: Nature's Bio-Defense at its Best

One of the speakers this week was Dr. Peter Radtke, PhD and CEO of JustNeem. JustNeem is a corporation based in the Triangle that produces skin care products made from neem that is sourced from Mauritania, where they support neem planting and reforestation. The presentation explained the medical and environmental uses of neem, and the economic and social benefits of neem plantations. neem can survive temperatures up to 40°c and salinity up to a third of sea water, giving it the ability to grow in Sub Saharan Africa, and even desert countries like Saudi Arabia. This unique ability to survive in hostile environments makes it an ideal candidate for reforestation and dune stabilization, thus providing a source of livelihood in underdeveloped desert countries.

The medicinal properties of neem come from its remarkable array of bioactive compounds. Dr. Radtke explained his realization of how this came to be – that all living things are in a constant fight for survival, and the defenses that the neem tree has evolved can be harnessed to fight our own potential pathogens. Almost every part of the neem tree’s body has bioactive compounds. These compounds have anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties among others. Each component has a somewhat different mode of action, so no pathogen has been able to evolve resistance against them.

When questioned about whether anyone has tried to create synthetic compounds based on the bioactive molecules, Dr. Radtke remarked that he is grateful that nobody has succeeded – a synthetic molecule working independently would eventually lead to the development of resistance. The amazing thing about these bioactive components are that they are toxic to pathogens that are detrimental to human health and economics, but have been found safe for other organisms so far. Neem has been used extensively in the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years without any toxic effects on humans.

The question of neem’s persistence in the environment was also raised. With a half-life of about two weeks, these compounds are safe but short-lived. A sun protectant vehicle and certain delivery methods can extend its half-life in the environment.

There was a final discussion about the veterinary use of neem. Its bitter taste, lack of toxicity and medicinal properties make it an ideal product for certain veterinary uses, such as a flea repellant in young animals, or wound healing for wild and large animals. 

Post authored by Dipika Kadaba, veterinarian and graduate student at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment.