Seventy five percent of emerging infectious diseases of people are zoonotic, or originated with animals according to the CDC. John Maday reminds us that these diseases can pose a health risk to farm workers through animal contact, and potentially to the public overall, either through contact with animals or disease vectors such as mosquitos or ticks, or through contaminated food. His discussion aimed at beef production is applicable to any zoonotic thinking.
Source: Bovine Veterinarian, August 23, 2019. Link. The One Health Zoonotic Disease Prioritization (OHZDP) workshop identified these zoonotic diseases as top priorities for the United States:
- Zoonotic influenza
- Salmonellosis
- West Nile virus
- Plague
- Emerging coronaviruses
- Rabies
- Brucellosis
- Lyme disease
INSIGHTS: Maday also includes a secondary list of other zoonotic diseases affecting cattle and occurring in the United States, including leptospirosis and e. coli.