In Memoriam, James H. Steele, DVM, MPH:  Dr. Steele, a One Health leader, died November 10, 2013

National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                              

November 14, 2013                                                                                             

Contact: Teres Lambert  970-689-3653

lambert@animalagriculture.org

Antibiotic Resistance Complex, Open to Misinterpretation

KANSAS CITY, MO.—The sharing of science-based antibiotic use and resistance information continued among experts and leaders from the animal, human and public health communities during the “Bridging the Gap Between Animal Health and Human Health” symposium sponsored by the National Institute for Animal Agriculture and conducted Nov. 12-14, in Kansas City, Mo. Adding to the symposium’s insightful, transparent discussions were presentations by media and consumer advocacy group representatives as well as questions generated by symposium attendees.

“Antibiotic resistance has been called the single most complex problem in public health, and this symposium provided respective health communities and disciplines a platform where they shared their latest research findings,” states Dr. Nevil Speer, co-chair of the symposium and a professor at Western Kentucky University. 

“This year’s antibiotic use and resistance symposium not only shed additional light on this often polarized topic but we identified common ground so a collective path forward that serves the best interests of all parties can be forged.”

The 170-plus symposium participants from across animal, human and environmental health heard a wealth of information, including the following 11 points:

1.      The science behind the emergence, amplification, persistence and transfer of antibiotic resistance is highly complex and open to misinterpretation and misuse. If you think you understand antimicrobial resistance, it hasn’t been explained properly.

2.      The extremely complex relationship between animal health, human health and environmental health is driven by two premises: 1) Antimicrobial resistance is a naturally occurring phenomenon that is present with or without the use of antimicrobials; and 2) Anytime an antibiotic enters the ecosystem, it contributes to the presence of antibiotic resistance.

3.      Antibiotic resistance is not just transferred from animals to humans; resistance is also transferred from humans to animals.

4.      Antibiotic resistance is not just a U.S. challenge; it’s an international issue that requires a strategic global One Health approach.

5.      Evaluating antimicrobial resistance involves balancing risks vs. needs while constantly recognizing the importance of maintaining an efficacious arsenal of human antibiotics.

6.      New tools that address food animal infectious diseases must be developed, whether they are in the field of prevention or new molecules for therapeutics.

7.      Research studies and findings are often viewed through different lenses. Individuals can look at the same study and obtain different interpretation of the results and what the study infers based on their own biases.

8.      Decisions should be based on science, and policy should be based on science.  The question, however, is who decides what constitutes evidence that is considered when making those decisions and policies.

9.      Significant efforts are being led by the public health community to reduce inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in human health and reduce hospital-acquired infections. Agriculture needs to be open to change as well.

10.  Change will happen. Open dialogue must continue, with animal agriculture at the table or change will be drastic and by statute and will not be a deliberative policy change.

11.  Solving antibiotic resistance requires collaboration and raises the question “How does human medicine, environmental health and animal medicine work together to address antibiotic use and resistance?”.

You can hear and view “Bridging the Gap between Animal Health and Human Health” symposium presentations—PowerPoints® with voice-over—online within the next two weeks at www.animalagriculture.org. A White Paper summarizing the symposium will be released and available online around Dec. 31.

The National Institute for Animal Agriculture provides a forum for building consensus and advancing proactive solutions for animal agriculture—the beef, dairy, swine, sheep, goats, equine, poultry and aquaculture industries—and provides continuing education and communication linkages for animal agriculture professionals. NIAA is dedicated to programs that work toward  the eradication of disease that pose risk to the health of animals, wildlife and humans; promote a safe and wholesome food supply for our nation and abroad; and promote best practices in environmental stewardship, animal health and well-being. NIAA members represent all facets of animal agriculture.

CANCER Investigations for animals and humans…One Health in Action at University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, PA. (USA)

“…. Founded in 1884, Penn Vet is the only veterinary school developed in association with a medical school. The school is a proud member of the One Health Initiative, linking human, animal, and environmental health.”  [See http://www.vet.upenn.edu/about/what-we-do/future-of-veterinary-medicine]

 For Immediate Release

November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month Penn Vet Fights the Nation’s #1 Disease-Related Killer of Dogs and Cats

[November 1, 2013; Philadelphia, PA] – Cancer is the number-one disease-related killer of dogs and cats, claiming millions of pets each year. Through groundbreaking cancer research and a new Comprehensive Cancer Care program, Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital is dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in animals.

Through a fruitful partnership with Penn Vet’s Veterinary Clinical Investigations Center, Ryan Hospital offers novel therapies that may offer cancer patients – canine and human alike – a viable alternative or complementary treatment to traditional therapies.

In addition, Penn Vet is a member of the Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium, which is run by the National Cancer Institute and provides access to a wide range of new cancer drugs in the early stages of testing.

 Some of Penn Vet’s innovative cancer research and clinical offerings are:

 Cancer Vaccines

It has been 16 months since the first dog diagnosed with spontaneous osteosarcoma received a new bone-cancer vaccine at Penn Vet from Dr. Nicola Mason, the lead investigator on the trial. The vaccine is being administered to dogs diagnosed with osteosarcoma, an aggressive tumor that affects the long bones of large- and giant-breed dogs. Dogs have traveled to Penn Vet from Ohio, Florida, Louisiana, and Montana to receive this novel therapy.

Despite limb amputation and chemotherapy, 60% of dogs with osteosarcoma die within one year of diagnosis. The aim of the vaccine, given to dogs after amputation and chemotherapy, is to prevent metastatic disease and prolong overall survival. Of the first five dogs vaccinated in this clinical trial, four are still alive, having survived between 500 and 590 days, and three dogs are tumor-free. These results suggest that the vaccine stimulates an effective anti-tumor immune response that can kill microscopic metastatic cells and prevent tumor recurrence. Additionally, there have been no long- or short-term complications observed with the vaccine. Given these highly promising results, Penn Vet is collaborating with Colorado State University and the University of Florida on a Phase II clinical trial. 

These findings may change the paradigm of canine osteosarcoma treatment and provide essential data to advance this approach in humans, including children with osteosarcoma and adults with a variety of different tumor pathologies, including mammary carcinoma.

 Mushroom Compound

The Coriolus versicolor mushroom, known commonly as the Yunzhi mushroom, has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years. A compound in the mushroom called polysaccharopeptide, or PSP, is believed to have immune-boosting properties. In the last two decades, some studies have suggested that PSP also has a tumor-fighting effect.

At Penn Vet, Dr. Dottie Brown’s work with I’m-Yunity, a formulation of PSP that has been tested for consistency and good manufacturing processes, resulted in some of the longest survival rates ever reported for dogs with hemangiosarcoma, an aggressive, invasive cancer that arises from the blood cells and typically affects the spleen. Before this study was conducted, the longest reported median survival time of dogs with hemangiosarcoma of the spleen that did not undergo further treatment was 86 days. Dogs enrolled in Penn Vet’s trial lived beyond a year with nothing other than the mushroom compound as treatment.

Penn Vet researchers are currently pursuing further trials to confirm and refine these results. One trial will compare I’m-Yunity to a placebo for owners who opt not to pursue chemotherapy in their pet, and another will compare the compound to standard-of-care chemotherapy. Depending on those results, veterinarians could eventually prescribe the compound for treating hemangiosarcoma, and perhaps other cancers, in dogs. The company that manufacturers I’m-Yunity may also pursue large-scale clinical trials in humans.

 Shelter Canine Mammary Tumor Program

The goal of the Penn Vet Shelter Canine Mammary Tumor Program is to advance knowledge of breast cancer in both dogs and humans. Led by Dr. Karin Sorenmo, the program provides care to shelter dogs with mammary tumors that are homeless and without access to the care they need to survive. Penn Vet covers surgery and follow-up care costs and helps facilitate adoption. 

Mammary tumors in dogs and breast cancer in women have many similarities, both in terms of risk factors and biology. Shelter dogs provide an ideal population for studying mammary tumors because only 10 percent of animals received into shelters have been spayed or neutered. The incidence of mammary tumors in unspayed female dogs is at least four times greater than in spayed dogs. In addition, many of the dogs have multiple tumors, often in different stages of malignant transformation, and therefore provide a unique opportunity to study cancer progression.

Cancer Imaging Systems

Penn Vet’s Dr. David Holt has partnered with Penn Medicine to improve detection of surgical margins at the time of surgery to remove soft tissue sarcomas. Dr. Holt currently offers a surgery using dye and special imaging equipment to Ryan Hospital patients. This technique is vital in both veterinary and human surgical oncology to ensure that the entire tumor is resected.

Comprehensive Cancer Care

Penn Vet’s Ryan Hospital is changing the face of cancer medicine with a Comprehensive Cancer Care program – a multidisciplinary approach to evaluate and treat cancer patients. Through this program, board-certified specialists in medical, surgical, and radiation oncology collaborate to provide a comprehensive assessment of each patient’s cancer care needs, resulting in better care, more efficient service, and a more complete approach. Ryan Hospital is one of only three veterinary comprehensive cancer care centers in the nation.

Ryan Hospital clients have access to some of the finest medical and radiation oncologists; a top-notch surgery team, including one of the only fellowship-trained surgical oncologists in the area; an interventional radiology specialist; a world-class dentistry and oral surgery team, distinguished by their training in maxillofacial cancer surgery; board-certified nutrition specialists who offer consultations on diet and feeding strategies that may improve quality of life or treatment outcomes; a grief counselor and support group aimed at helping those caring for chronically ill, terminally ill, or aging pets; and some of the most modern facilities and equipment in veterinary medicine – all in one building. To make an appointment, call 215-746-8387.

About Penn Vet

Penn Vet is a global leader in veterinary medicine education, research, and clinical care. Founded in 1884, Penn Vet is the only veterinary school developed in association with a medical school. The school is a proud member of the One Health Initiative, linking human, animal, and environmental health.  [See http://www.vet.upenn.edu/about/what-we-do/future-of-veterinary-medicine]

Penn Vet serves a diverse population of animals at its two campuses, which include extensive diagnostic and research laboratories. Ryan Hospital in Philadelphia provides care for dogs, cats, and other domestic/companion animals, seeing nearly 33,000 patients a year. New Bolton Center, Penn Vet’s large-animal hospital on nearly 700 acres in rural Kennett Square, PA, cares for horses and livestock/farm animals, treating 33,000 patients each year – 4,100 in the hospital and 29,000 at farms through the Field Service. In addition, New Bolton Center’s campus includes a swine center, working dairy, and poultry unit that provide valuable research for the agriculture industry.

For more information, visit www.vet.upenn.edu.

Provided by:

Ashley Berke
Director of Communications 
University of Pennsylvania
School of Veterinary Medicine
3800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104 (USA)
215.898.1475
http://www.vet.upenn.edu/

Contacts:

Ashley Berke, Director of Communications, 215-898-1475/berke@vet.upenn.edu

John Donges, Communications Coordinator, 215-898-4234/jdonges@vet.upenn.edu

The Animal Medical Center and Zoobiquity author endorse One Health (USA)

“The Animal Medical Center www.amcny.org and Zoobiquity http://zoobiquity.com/ support the One Health concept.  One Health draws together experts in human, animal and environmental health.  As the interface between these three constituencies becomes blurred through globalization, loss of wildlife habitats and emergence of new infectious diseases, cooperation and collaboration between health care professionals becomes paramount to protecting the health of our world. 

To further the cause of One Health, The AMC and Zoobiquity have teamed up to offer Zoobiquity 3: a species spanning approach to medicine, November 2, 2013.  Zoobiquity 3 seeks to bring together experts in human, animal and environmental health for education and conversations about One Health.

For information or to register please go to:  http://www.cme.ucla.edu/courses/event-description?event%5fid=2149254”

Richard E. Goldstein, DVM, DACVIM, DECVIM-CA

Chief Medical Officer

The Animal Medical Center

510 East 62^nd Street

New York, New York  10065-8314

 (212) 329-8824

Richard.Goldstein@amcny.org

Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, MD

Professor of Medicine, UCLA Division of Cardiology

Director, Zoobiquity Research Initiative

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

 (310) 825-6301

bnatterson@mednet.ucla.edu

Statement provided October 28, 2013 to One Health Initiative website by Ann E. Hohenhaus, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM (Oncology & Small Animal Internal Medicine), Certified Veterinary Journalist, The Animal Medical Center. Dr. Hohenhaus is a prominent One Health Supporter/advocate http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/supporters.php.

NOTE: The One Health Initiative Autonomous pro bono team recognizes and appreciates this welcomed One Health ‘comparative medicine’ approach. 

A signature One Health Program in the United Kingdom

The University of Edinburgh – The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/vet/studying/postgraduate/taught-programmes/one-health/about

“The University of Edinburgh was the first United Kingdom University to address the need for One Health professional training. This [One Health] Master of Science (MSc) draws together Edinburgh’s multidisciplinary expertise with a proven track record to deliver first-class teaching in One Health.”  Please see http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/vet/studying/postgraduate/taught-programmes/one-health/about/introduction.

Global Health Academy – Please see http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/global-health/home

Crossing global health boundaries

“Why the Global Health Academy is the place to do your research.

Global Health is not one single discipline, but multiple disciplines cutting across traditional institutional functions and boundaries.

Existing organisational structures within the University support world-class research work in distinct disciplines.

The Global Health Academy (GHA) augments these structures by facilitating new interdisciplinary approaches to deliver a greater impact on global health.

World-leading researchers

We do world-leading biomedical, clinical, social science, engineering and veterinary research.

Our priorities include the dual burden of disease, social inequalities in health and the translation of leading scientific advances into effective interventions.

Our research and fellowships are funded by the:

• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Economic and Social Research Council
• Medical Research Council
• Wellcome Institute” …

A signature One Health Program...

One Health Institute – University of California, Davis (USA)

Working at the interface of animals, people, and the environment to solve complex problems impacting health and conservation.

“The UC Davis One Health Institute is home to many Centers, programs, projects and initiatives within the School of Veterinary Medicine and beyond. Our Executive Director is Dr. Jonna A.K. Mazet, DVM, MVPM, PhD and our scientists and educators are working throughout the UC Davis Campus, the UC System, State and Federal Agencies, and all over the world to advance the health of animals, people and the environment. We are continually updating and enhancing this website; please check back for updates. 

The One Health approach addresses complex health problems on a platform that recognizes that the health of domestic animals, wildlife, and people are inextricably linked with each other and the environment. ...”

Please see: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ohi/ 

                   and

                    One of their seven (7) major/important Centers:

                    http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/onehealth/index.cfm

Calvin Schwabe Project - http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/onehealth/about/schwabe.cfm

EXPLORING THE INTERSECTION OF HUMAN, ANIMAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Our Mission

“To strengthen the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine's commitment to the One Health movement by educating veterinarians of the future to integrate human, animal, and ecosystem protection into their professional lives.

The Calvin Schwabe One Health Project fosters a diverse and sustainable planet, with the goal of encouraging a new generation of veterinary expertise in the integration of better health for humans, animals, and their environment. To that end, One Health expands career pathways for veterinary students in disciplines such as public practice, wildlife and ecosystem health, food safety, herd health, disaster preparedness, rural health, and zoonotic disease threats.”

A potential large scale “One Health in Action” ... another dynamic case for implementing One Health!

Vaccines against diseases transmitted from animals to humans: A one health paradigm

http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/publications/Thomas%20P.%20Monath,%20MD%20Sept%202013%20One%20Health%20Vaccine%20Article.pdf

Opinion by: Laura H. Kahn, MD, MPH, MPP, Bruce Kaplan, DVM, Thomas P. Monath, MD, Jack Woodall, PhD, and Lisa A. Conti, DVM, MPH

The One Health movement, during the 20^th century and the early 21^st century, has documented a powerful case for implementing this critically needed approach to assist solving many of the world’s health problems in both the public health and clinical health sectors.  Time is not on the side of the health care communities of planet earth.  Witness the known crisis evolving with antibiotic resistance which is causing many to speak of threats to human (and animal) life with a frightening new “post antibiotic” era lurking in the near future.  We can imagine a time where a routine strep (sore) throat—a bacterial infection typically treated and cured with an antibiotic—could no longer have an effective antibiotic available or even be in the pharmaceutical pipeline!

Today we know that about 60% of all human pathogens are zoonotic (diseases transmissible from animals to humans) and approximately 75% of recently emerging infectious diseases affecting humans are diseases of animal origin.  If mankind loses some more or most of the ability to treat these diseases with efficacious antibiotics we are in trouble.  Our immune systems are usually not capable of fending off most of these diseases resulting in high morbidity and a higher death rate than currently operational in our societies.  However, if vaccine research and development is fast forwarded, some of these can be prevented eliminating a need for antibiotics.

This particular pursuit is certainly doable with adequate recognition and funding.  We consider it essential! 

Principles of utilizing the One Health approach, i.e. multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary collaborations between animal health and human health industries and regulators can definitely help develop immunization products for such purposes.  A visionary landmark September 2013 article published online by the notable medical virologist and vaccinologist physician *Thomas P. Monath, MD http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X1301270X gives reasonable guidelines to make it happen sooner rather than later.  Examples of such vaccines are listed including West Nile, brucellosis, Escherichia coli, O157:H7, rabies, Rift Valley fever, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Hendra virus, Mycobacterium bovis, and Lyme disease.  Indeed, another September 2013 publication was published that discussed the dramatic food safety potential for using a vaccine in cattle to protect against human foodborne illness caused by E. coli, O157 http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/09/10/1304978110.full.pdf+html.

In simple terms, the idea is to develop vaccines that protect domestic animals and wildlife thereby establishing effective barriers against human infections.  Developing animal vaccines are less expensive and are less strictly regulated than are those for humans.  Hopefully a common sense One Health approach can go forward.

*NOTE: Dr. Monath http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/publications/Tom%20Monath%20Biography%20June%202013.pdf is a physician founding member of the One Health Initiative Autonomous pro bono team.

REMINDER: