Public health interventions often neglect gender disparities. This perspective paper highlights the gendered risks using Rift Valley fever (RVF), a vector-borne zoonotic disease, as a case study, and discuss how gender inequality in RVF disease surveillance and control might impact women’s health. Most of the literature focuses on RVF exposure in males due to certain occupational roles being male dominated and neglects women’s varied responsibilities in livestock care. RVF-focused studies often lack sex-aggregated data, hindering our understanding of the gendered differences in RVF risk. Social and cultural norms limit women’s autonomy in livestock ownership, vaccination decisions and healthcare access. Therefore, there is a lack of gender-based policy for the prevention and control of RVF. To tackle the issues of gender inequality in disease surveillance and control, we need to integrate gendered considerations into RVF research design and analysis. This can lead to development of gender-responsive interventions for improved knowledge dissemination and access to veterinary care for women livestock keepers. Intervention programmes involving women (such as the We Rear Programme) have led to positive changes in social and cultural norms, resulting in greater access to markets and veterinary care for female farmers. Gender inequality in RVF disease surveillance compromises women’s health and the health of their livestock. Urgent action is required to bridge the knowledge gaps highlighted in this paper and develop equitable interventions for a One Health approach to the control of RVF.

In 2010, USAID catalyzed the formation of One Health University Networks as part of a holistic response designed to promote the One Health approach for addressing complex health challenges. This globally connected One Health University network now includes the African One Health University Network (AFROHUN) and the Southeast Asia University Network (SEAOHUN) and has representation from over 120 universities in 17 countries across Africa and Southeast Asia. Over more than 15 years of USAID investment, these networks have trained more than 85,000 students, in-service professionals and faculty around the world in One Health principles and collaborative problem solving, grounded in One Health core competencies. These One Health practitioners have gone on to contribute to improved global health security in their communities and countries. The evolution and maturation of these networks is a testament to a strong vision and dedication to the task by leadership and donors. As the global academic community continues to refine and adapt training methodologies for ‘future ready’ individuals, resources and examples from One Health University Networks stand as a legacy to build upon.

Recent increases in dengue cases across the region of the Americas have underscored the need for an integrated and collaborative One Health approach to address the potential of widespread autochthonous dengue in the continental USA. Improvements in the public health, social and health sectors are paramount in ensuring that communities are better protected. Furthermore, communities would benefit from effective adaptive strategies in the event of autochthonous dengue outbreaks. There is an opportunity to address existing challenges in the control of mosquitoes, public health infrastructure and funding that are necessary to recover from threats from climate-sensitive pathogens. Each component will improve preparedness toward widespread autochthonous dengue. This review provides an outline of adaptive and mitigating strategies and offers opportunities to address challenges through a One Health lens.

The One Health approach is increasingly recognised as a holistic solution to complex global health and ecological challenges. Legislation is of utmost relevance for its effective implementation, providing a mechanism to institutionalise intersectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration, clarify responsibilities and promote sustainability. However, the legal nature of One Health remains underexplored. This paper examines how the key underlying principles of One Health align with legal principles and concepts broadly recognised by legal literature and jurisprudence, including those articulated in the Rio Declaration and the International Law Association’s New Delhi Declaration on principles of international law relating to sustainable development. Emphasis is placed on the principle of integration, a cornerstone of sustainable development that offers a pathway to operationalise One Health within legal frameworks. By conceptualising One Health as an extension and practical application of the principle of integration, this paper advances its legal characterisation, embedding it within broader principles of international law. One Health is positioned as a legal construct, providing a pathway for its implementation through law and affirming its role as an integral component of sustainable development.

One Health is an approach to managing complex health threats by promoting multisectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration, engaging stakeholders, and contributing to sustainable development, while fostering equity and socioecological equilibrium across sectors and living species. Legislation is crucial for advancing One Health by establishing structures that foster collaboration, define roles and responsibilities, and support sustainable outcomes. To enhance its effectiveness, One Health must be integrated into legal frameworks addressing global challenges at the intersection of human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health, through flexible, context-specific legal frameworks adaptable to emerging and evolving threats.

This paper identifies four legal elements for embedding One Health into legislation: (i) normative integration (bridging different legal domains); (ii) multisectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration; (iii) stewardship and the sustainable management of common goods beyond human interests; and (iv) stakeholder engagement, ensuring inclusive participation. These elements are interconnected and interdependent, collectively forming a comprehensive foundation for integrating One Health into legal frameworks. They have the potential to dismantle sectoral silos, foster multidisciplinary collaboration, and advance stakeholder engagement and the recognition of the intrinsic value of all species. At the same time, these elements also function as strategies, offering practical pathways for legislative design and implementation. The paper also provides examples of their implementation and suggests avenues for future research.

There are over 200 known zoonotic diseases. Over half of all recognized human pathogens are currently or originally zoonotic, as are 60%-76% of recent emerging pathogens, yet a few are coded in International Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11). The practice of animal health estimates is fragmented. The numbers and categorization of animals are not consistent across different organizations or over time. The coding attributes of ICD-11 on morbidity, mortality, and zoonoses don’t exist in WAHIS. An innovation in methodology to adopt ICD-11 in World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) and code for zoonoses is required. To meet the key principles of One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) and translate the One Health approach into actionable policies, there is a compelling need to estimate the magnitude of all human and animal diseases, particularly zoonoses, using the refined codes of ICD-11.

From its beginnings in the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata, universal health coverage (UHC) has been constantly evolving, notably so within the last ten years. Although the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, which identify both UHC and social protection among its targets, represent an important juncture in this evolution, several States are unlikely to meet the 2030 target deadline. This article traces the history of UHC and social (health) protection in global health law, focusing on their development over the past ten years. It concludes by reflecting on what the future of UHC and social (health) protection should look like and what is needed to fully realize their potential to achieve equity and to meaningfully contribute to the betterment of people and planet, highlighting human rights, One Health, legal and financial considerations as key for the future.

The effect of reservoir construction on medically important parasites is well known worldwide but lacks information in Vietnam. With 385 active hydropower plants and numerous water reservoirs, Vietnam provides an ideal setting for studying this issue. This study investigated trematode infection in snail first intermediate hosts from three hydropower reservoirs: Hoa Binh, Son La, and Thac Ba. In total, 25,299 snails representing 16 species were examined, with 959 individuals (8 species) shedding identifiable cercariae. Infection prevalence was highest in thiarid snails (5.4%–15.4%), followed by bithynid snails (2.9%–5.8%). Other snail species showed infection prevalence ranging from 0.3% to 2.9%. Infection prevalence varied significantly across regions, with the highest prevalence in Son La, followed by Hoa Binh and Thac Ba reservoirs. However, no significant differences were observed between snails collected from reservoirs versus canals and paddy fields. Morphological identification resulted in nine cercarial morphotypes, with pleurolophocercaria, xiphidiocercariae, and echinostome being the most common types, accounting for 89.2% of all cercarial infections. Echinostome cercariae were found in seven snail species, while the other cercarial morphotypes were shed by two to five species. Gabbia fuchsiana, Parafossarulus manchouricus, and Melanoides tuberculata were the most common hosts, each harboring five cercarial morphotypes, while Radix auricularia only released echinostome type. In conclusion, our findings highlight the endemic presence of trematodes in hydropower reservoirs and emphasize the need to consider the human-environment interaction around these reservoirs for a better understanding of disease transmission risks.

There is a pressing need for novel approaches to help address climate change and for a workforce that is equipped with a combination of new and different types of knowledges. The One Health (OH) core competencies perhaps offer the new knowledges, skills and attitudes that will be needed in a future generation of practitioners that does not shy away from complexity. The objective of this research was to identify overlapping and transferable OH-climate change competencies that are needed of professionals working to address climate change. Using focus groups and qualitative content analysis, 23 professionals from across Canada whose employment positions had a key focus on climate change were brought together across five sessions. Participants agreed that the OH competencies were applicable to their employment roles and responsibilities, but they identified four key missing areas that are important for graduates: evaluative and reflective practice, personal resilience, turning knowledge into action and having an openness to other knowledges (particularly Indigenous and non-Western viewpoints). This work also provided a first iteration of a process that should be continually used to bridge the gap between theory and practice, as employer needs are a key consideration during the development of educational programs.

In 2022, the largest ever virgin soil outbreak of Japanese encephalitis (JE) occurred in Australia resulting in 45 reported human cases of JE, with seven fatalities. Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was detected in 84 piggeries across Australia. In response, states implemented targeted vaccination programs for those individuals at the highest risk of JEV exposure. A mixed methods approach, including geospatial mapping of JEV vaccine distribution in Queensland, a case series of Queensland human cases and interviews with Queensland Health staff, assessed the JEV vaccination response program. Five notified human cases were reviewed, with three having occupational outdoor risk and local travel-related exposure. Vaccine coverage ranged from 0 to 7.4 doses per 100 people after 12 months of the program. The highest uptake was in southern Queensland, where 95% of the state’s commercial pig population is located. The vaccination program was limited by a heavy reliance on general practitioners, vast geographical distribution of eligible populations, difficulties mobilising and engaging eligible cohorts, and suboptimal One Health collaboration. Population and climate factors make it possible for the virus to become endemic. Targeted vaccination programs remain an important strategy to protect people at the highest risk of exposure, however, program improvements are required to optimize vaccine accessibility.

Gastrointestinal infections constitute a significant global health concern, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, caused by various pathogens. Among these, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis are noteworthy due to their zoonotic potential. In Algeria, molecular epidemiological data on cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis are limited. To fill this gap, the present study aimed to examine the transmission dynamics of Cryptosporidium spp., and Giardia duodenalis in various households. A total of 216 samples were collected from the rural Guelma and Souk Ahras provinces, located in the eastern part of Algeria. These included human and animal faeces, as well as water and soil samples. DNA was extracted, followed by nested PCR targeting the SSU rRNA gene to detect Cryptosporidium spp., while the gp60 gene was amplified for subtyping. Detection of G. duodenalis was performed by qPCR targeting the SSU rRNA gene, followed by amplification of tpi, bg and gdh genes for genotyping and subtyping. Several Cryptosporidium species, including C. bovis, C. ryanae, C. andersoni and C. parvum, were identified in human, animal and environmental samples. The zoonotic C. parvum subtype IIaA17G2R1 was detected in human, animal and soil samples. Giardia duodenalis assemblage B was detected in a human sample, while assemblage E was found in cattle and sheep. The current investigation underscores the importance of the One Health approach in addressing issues related to intestinal parasites, highlighting the need for improved surveillance and control measures in rural settings.

Reducing antimicrobial use (AMU) in livestock may be one of the keys to limit the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial populations, including zoonotic pathogens. This study assessed the temporal association between AMU in livestock and AMR among Campylobacter isolates from human infections in the Netherlands between 2004 – 2020. Moreover, the associations between AMU and AMR in livestock and between AMR in livestock and AMR in human isolates were assessed. AMU and AMR data per antimicrobial class (tetracyclines, macrolides and fluoroquinolones) for Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli from poultry, cattle, and human patients were retrieved from national surveillance programs. Associations were assessed using logistic regression and the Spearman correlation test. Overall, there was an increasing trend in AMR among human C. jejuni/coli isolates during the study period, which contrasted with a decreasing trend in livestock AMU. In addition, stable trends in AMR in broilers were observed. No significant associations were observed between AMU and AMR in domestically produced broilers. Moderate to strong positive correlations were found between the yearly prevalence of AMR in broiler and human isolates. Reducing AMU in Dutch livestock alone may therefore not be sufficient to tackle the growing problem of AMR in Campylobacter among human cases in the Netherlands. More insight is needed regarding the population genetics and the evolutionary processes involved in resistance and fitness among Campylobacter.

The One Health High-Level Expert Panel’s definition of One Health includes optimizing the health of people, animals (wild and domestic) and ecosystems. For many One Health practitioners, wildlife that can spread zoonoses are the focus, particularly if they can come in contact with people. However, ecosystem health is often best-indicated by less-encountered species, for instance, amphibians and reptiles. This review highlights how these taxa can benefit human health and well-being, including cultural significance, as well as their impact on plant, animal and environmental health. We highlight current challenges to the health of these species and the need to include them in the One Health Joint Action Plan. We conclude with a call to action for inclusion of amphibians and reptiles in a One Health approach.

Knowledge about One Health approach and its importance among the practitioners and the community in addressing health threats is of paramount important. This study aimed to assess knowledge of One Health actors on multi-sectoral coordination in addressing health risks in selected regions of Tanzania. A descriptive study was conducted from June to August 2023 in selected regions of Arusha, Iringa and Dodoma where quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 101 participants representing the line ministries and sub-national regional and district levels. Descriptive analysis was done using EPI INFO 7.2.5.0 statistical software and Microsoft excel. Results showed a decreasing proportion of participants reporting to be aware of One Health approach at the National level with 100.0% awareness and only 32.3% awareness at the district level. It was also revealed that 76.9% of the participants at the national level had received One Health training through short courses, workshops meetings, and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) courses compared to the varying proportions of 57.7% and 19.4% at the regional and district level, respectively. Limited awareness of different professional disciplines on One Health approach is the major challenge in its operationalisation and institutionalisation at sub-national levels. Awareness creation to One Health actors and advocacy to policy and decision-makers at all levels will enhance implementation, multi-sectoral coordination and collaboration among key actors in addressing health risks emergencies.

In 2020, the Kuujjuaq Dog Project (KDP) was operationalized in the Northern Village of Kuujjuaq (Québec, Canada) to mitigate issues at the human–dog interface. Differing from previous interventions in its EcoHealth approach, it provided veterinary services, educational components (school workshops and Facebook posts) and strengthened local dog control measures. In 2022, an implementation evaluation assessed its quality of its delivery, differentiation, adaptations and the community’s responsiveness. The study followed key principles of the One Health approach and a mixed-methods design, combining a survey of 74 participants and individual interviews with 10 key stakeholders and 25 other community members. Analysis confirmed the relevance of the KDP, highlighting its innovative nature compared to previous dog-related interventions in northern Québec. Awareness of and exposure to the KDP’s components varied considerably between veterinary services (89%), Facebook posts (55%) and school workshops (27%). Global exposure to both the veterinary services and educational components was lower among Inuit, men and non-dog owners (not statistically significant). Barriers and facilitators to implementation included long-term engagement of stakeholders and building meaningful partnerships with local stakeholders. Beside supporting the future evolution of the KDP, this study fills knowledge gaps on how to successfully implement integrated, participatory interventions in northern Indigenous communities.

We aimed to estimate the overall apparent prevalence, true prevalence, and the spatial, temporal, and test-specific burden of bovine tuberculosis in Bangladesh. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and BanglaJOL were searched for bovine tuberculosis publications in Bangladesh from 1 January 1970 to 23 June 2023. Of 142 articles screened, systematic review and meta-analysis were performed on 22 (15.5%) articles. The apparent estimated bovine tuberculosis prevalence was 7%. The apparent Bayesian pooled mean bovine tuberculosis prevalences based on caudal fold test and single intradermal comparative tuberculin test were 7.83% and 9.89%, respectively, and the true pooled mean prevalences were 10.39% and 10.48%, respectively. Targeted interventions are recommended for districts with higher prevalence to effectively reduce the bovine tuberculosis burden in those areas. Current diagnostic practices employed in Bangladesh may not accurately reflect the bovine tuberculosis burden. Our findings highlight the need for better diagnostic tools and supplemental testing methods to ensure accurate diagnosis and surveillance. Efforts should prioritize obtaining ‘true’ prevalence estimates corrected for misclassification bias, rather than relying solely on apparent prevalence. Underestimating the bovine tuberculosis burden could result in inadequate resource allocation and hinder the implementation of effective control measures.

Multidisciplinary One Health (OH) collaboration coupled with information communication and technology provides an avenue for combating and avoiding emerging and reemerging diseases. In 2020, AFROHUN-Kenya organized a OH App development hackathon to build an application for frontline community health workers to respond to OH challenges. This article describes the purpose, process, benefits and challenges of this hackathon. Forty-nine participants, divided into eight groups took part in the hackathon. The teams ranged from four to eight members, with 55% female. A total of eight applications were developed during the hackathon all of which are in the process of patenting, before deployment as open-source applications. In the post-hackathon survey, 95% of participants indicated that they had a better grasp of the topic because of the team members’ diverse perspectives and that working in multidisciplinary teams had resulted in new friendships and partnerships. In total, 72% of respondents indicated they would be interested in participating in another hackathon. However, 65% of the respondents suggested that the training time be lengthened. This study demonstrates that multidisciplinary hackathons effectively enhance learning, significantly impact communities and improve students’ soft skills, including project and time management, interpersonal communication, motivational strategies and problem-solving.