Week 12 - Zoonoses

Question 1

What is zoonoses

Answer 1

Diseases of humans in which the infectious agent is acquired from animals and for which animals are the reservoir of infection

Question 2

Reservoir of Infection

Answer 2

the principal habitat from which an infectious agent may spread to
cause disease

Question 3

What is veterinary public health (VPH)?

Answer 3

“The sum of all contributions to the physical, mental and social well-being of humans
through an understanding and application of veterinary science”

Question 4

What is “One Health”?

Answer 4

Concept incorporating interdisciplinary collaborations and communications in all
aspects of health care for humans, animals and the environment,

Recognizing that human health (including mental health via the human-animal bond
phenomenon), animal health, and ecosystem health are inextricably linked

Question 5

What can zoonoses be exposed by?

Answer 5

• direct exposure to pet etc
• exposure through food
• exposure through the environment

Question 6

How are zoonoses transmitted

Answer 6

• Contact
-Direct
-Indirect
• Food/Water
• Fomites
• Aerosol
• Vector (i.e. insects)

Question 7

How are zoonoses classified

Answer 7

• Mode of transmission
• Organ system involved (clinical)
• Major reservoir of infection
• Aetiological agent
(ie fungal, viral, bacterial, parasitic, prions etc…)
• Major human population at risk

Question 8

How many emerging zoonoses over time/

Answer 8

About 1 new disease per year for
the past decade
• 75% are zoonotic, many are
vector-borne

Question 9

What are diseases emerging

Answer 9

• Ecological changes or disruption (i.e climate change)
• Introduction of animals/people to new areas
• Increasing global movement (people and animals)
• Cultural changes and changes to agricultural practices

Question 10

What are the three examples of emerging, zoonotic diseases

Answer 10

1. Hendra virus in Australia
2. West Nile Virus in the USA
3. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the UK

Question 11

Where does Hendra Virus in Australia come from

Answer 11

‘spillover’ from wildlife

• Outbreaks of disease in horses in QLD, NSW
• Humans can become infected from horses

Question 12

What is the transmission for hendra virus

Answer 12

• Transmission of virus from flying foxes to horses
- Contaminated horse feed (urine, saliva, birth products)?
Why is this occurring now?
-increased contact between bats and horses
-animals moving into new areas?
-changes in land use/ ecological disruption?

Question 13

What kind of transmission for West Nile Virus in the USA

Answer 13

Transboundary disease

Question 14

Is West Nile Virus in the USA clinical?

Answer 14

WNV infection in humans can be subclinical or can result in severe disease or death

Question 15

What transmission do Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease hhave

Answer 15

Food-borne disease

Background
- Disease due to an infectious prion (protein)
- Emerged in 1996 in the UK
- Fatal human neurodegenerative condition
- Food-borne disease (beef) from cattle with bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or‘mad cow disease’

Question 16

How did vCJD emerge

Answer 16

• change in agricultural practices
• feeding of meat and bone meal (MBM) to cattle as a protein supplement
• MBM (sheep or cattle?) facilitated spread of disease to large numbers of animals
• modern food processing practices (ie minced beef)
  facilitated spread of infectious material to large numbers of
  people (not destroyed by cooking)

Question 17

What are the impact of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Answer 17

• Approx 275 human infections/death
• Collapse of beef industry following culling of cattle and trade ban (estimated at greater than 3.5 billion GBP)
• Loss of confidence in government response (social impact)
• psychological impacts (emotional impact)

Question 18

Why do we need national and international organisations for animal health?

Answer 18

To control and prevent animal diseases that can destroy livelihoods and food security (local and global context)

Question 19

Reasons for National and International Organisations

Answer 19

Control of transboundary animal diseases (TADs)
Harmonise disease definitions
Harmonise diagnostic, treatment and vaccination methods
Promote transparent exchange of disease intelligence
Promote collaboration in agreed eradication campaigns
Facilitate trade
Assist countries to achieve high national standards in animal health
Veterinary education
Regulation of drugs
Surveillance for disease incidence
Food security and supply
Diagnostic services
Preparedness and response planning

Question 20

What is the code for Emergency disease preparedness and response

Answer 20

AUSVETPLAN