Veterinary Epidemiology and Zoonosis

ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ON ZOONOSES

The role of international organizations on zoonoses

• VPH activities contribute to WHO's global efforts to strengthen the surveillance of and response to all communicable diseases which are or may emerge as public health threats.
• In collaboration with its Regional Offices, WHO supports Member States in the surveillance and containment in humans and animals of zoonoses and foodborne zoonotic diseases of public health importance and animal diseases with known or potential public health implications and in the surveillance and containment of resistance to antimicrobial agents in animals, with implications for human medicine.
• VPH activities are currently implemented by WHO Headquarters through the Department of Communicable Diseases Control, Prevention and Eradication (CPE) in close collaboration with the Food Safety programme.
• Focal points exist in all WHO Regional Offices.
• The VPH programme in WHO has been closely linked with various aspects of the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in relation to zoonoses, food safety and the public health aspects of trade in animals and animal products.
• There is also much collaboration with WHO collaborating centres, other universities, research centres and institutions.

Activities on zoonoses by international organizations

• Identifying and evaluating microbiological hazards to human health of animal origin: new, emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases, and foodborne diseases, including those due to antimicrobial resistant bacteria.
• Developing policies, guidelines, operational research and strategies for the control of zoonotic and foodborne diseases.
• Promoting research on zoonotic and foodborne diseases and their management in humans.
• Strengthening global surveillance of zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance in foodborne pathogens by enhancing the epidemiological capabilities of national laboratories.
• Disseminating relevant information to experts in public health, veterinary science and other scientific disciplines, as well as to consumer groups and the public.
• Contributing to field and laboratory investigations of zoonotic and foodborne diseases.
• Facilitating active contributions to public health by the veterinary services of Member States, an essential requirement for the cost-effective surveillance and control of zoonotic and foodborne diseases in their animal hosts.
• Providing technical and scientific assistance to Member States for their surveillance and control programmes, when requested.