One Health Newsletter…Winter Issue Posted Today - January 20, 2010

http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Environment/medicine/One_Health/OHNLWinter2010.pdf

Another outstanding Florida (USA) Department of Health Division of Environmental Health quarterly “One Health Newsletter”, the quarterly January 2010 Winter issue is now posted.  Per usual, it will also be referenced shortly in full on the One Health Initiative website http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/newsletter.php, which works in tandem with the Newsletter and devotes an entire section to this significant One Health publication. 

The following distinguished One Health authors & co-authors have provided featured articles:

·                          Thomas P. Monath, MD – “Concurrent Development of Novel West Nile Vaccines for Humans and Equids:Application of One Health Principles”

Dr. Monath is a prominent physician medical virologist; International One Health leader; One Health Initiative website team member and leader; and special contributor/advisor to the One Health Newsletter 

·                          Jack Woodall, PhD, Larry Madoff, MD et. al. -  “ProMED-mail and ONE HEALTH”

Dr. Woodall, a Co-Founder of ProMED-mail, is a One Health leader, renowned scientist and virologist, and is contents manager of the ProMED-mail section of the One Health Initiative website.   Dr. Madoff is the noted physician Editor of ProMED-mail and a longtime valued One Health advocate/supporter— “ProMED-mail since its inception, has espoused the “One Health” concept.”

·                          Ted Cohn, DVM  -  “One Health - At the Crossroads”  [also previously published on the One Health Initiative website November 18, 2009].

Dr. Cohn, an outstanding One Health supporter, is an AVMA Executive Board member and a small animal medicine/surgery private practitioner.

·                          S. K. Lam, PhD – “An Utopian Dream or a Reality?”

Dr. Lam is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a valued One Health supporter and has been one of the most influential figures in medical virology in Southeast Asia.

·                          --and there are several other important One Health contributions by outstanding authors and co-authors!

NEW Fogarty Funding Opportunities: Upcoming Deadlines

·         NEW International Research Scientist Development Award (IRSDA) (K01) - Deadline March 1, 2010

     http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-066.html

Purpose:  This program supports U.S. postdoctoral biomedical, epidemiological, clinical, social and behavioral scientists in the formative stages of their careers to conduct research in developing countries.  These awards will support three- to five-years of “protected time” for  mentored research and career development experiences, leading to an independent research career focused on global health. 

Mechanism of Support: This FOA will utilize the K01 award mechanism.

·         NEW Independent Scientist in Global Health Award (ISGHA) (K02) - Deadline March 1, 2010

              http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-065.html

Purpose:  The purpose of the Independent Scientist Award in Global Health (K02) is to foster the development of outstanding scientists and enable them to expand their potential to make significant contributions to their field of research in global health.  The K02 award provides three, four, or five years of research and salary support, and “protected time” for newly independent scientists who can demonstrate the need for a period of intensive research focus as a means of enhancing their research careers. Each independent scientist career award program must be tailored to meet the individual needs of the candidate. 

Below is the recently released research agenda/policy of the new NIH Director, Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD that includes this portion:

Focusing More on Global Health

Much of recent global health research has justifiably been focused on AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria (11). It is also critical to go beyond the focus on the "big three" diseases to neglected tropical diseases of low-income countries that contribute to staggering levels of morbidity and mortality. In collaboration with other sources of support such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, NIH can play a major role in ramping up the discovery of novel targets in both pathogen and host and work to facilitate advances in prevention, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Helping to build capacity and training opportunities in the developing world will be a critical component of such progress. Additional resources will also be needed to respond to the growing challenge of chronic non-communicable diseases and injuries.

Provided by:

E. Ann Davis, DVM MPH MT(ASCP)

Scientific Review Officer

(On Detail from Fogarty International Center)
Population Sciences and Epidemiology (PSE) Integrated Review Group
Center for Scientific Review, NIH
6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 3137, MSC 7770
Bethesda, MD  20892-7770 (20817 for Fed Ex/delivery)
ph:  301-435-1251
fax:  301-480-1056

Email: davisann2@mail.nih.gov

8th Annual Scientific Conference of Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), Bangladesh.

   Date of Conference: 16-18 March, 2010

The theme of this year’s conference is "Networking for promoting change towards One World One Health".

Please see details on website’s Upcoming Events page http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/events.php

Provided by:

Amam Zonaed Siddiki, PhD
Associate Professor
Dept of Pathology and Parasitology
Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University
Khulshi, Chittagong-4202
Bangladesh
Tel.  0088 031 659093        (ext 113)
      0088 0171 771 8884    (mobile)
Fax. 0088 031 659620 (lab)

New Year's Resolution: "One Health" Recognition and Implementation without delay. Protect and save human and animal life today and tomorrow!

Florida Department of Health (USA) Director of Environmental Health Division Presented One Health Paper at Doha, Qatar Scientific Program December 16, 2009 (view PowerPoint Slides on Publication page http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/publications.php):

Lisa Conti, DVM, MPH, Director of the Florida Department of Health’s (USA) Environmental Health Division and One Health Newsletter editorial board member, presented a talk entitled “Thé intersection between Human and Animal Health - Zoonotic Diseases” http://www.q-medec.com/brochures/Congress%20Booklet.pdf  Wednesday, December 16 as an invited speaker at the Qatar International Medical Exhibition & Congress 2009 http://www.medical-events.com/congress/q-medec-qatar-international-medical-exhibition-congress-2009 in Doha, Qatar. 

The Qatar Health Conference 2009 http://www.q-medec.com/, the first of its kind for the State of Qatar, was held in the Doha Exhibition Center, December 12-16.  Dr. Conti’s presentation was one of 12 in the "Development and Implementation of Disaster Reduction Strategies in the Middle East" Disaster Track. 

Dr. Conti focused her One Health talk on zoonoses which may be used as bioterrorist agents using slides from both Iowa State University's ‘train the trainer’ preparedness tools as well as colleagues' presentations. She also mentioned toxicological environmental and occupational health issues.  As with most other presenters in this track, the audience did not ask questions or appear to contact the speakers after the talks. The organizers established the objectives of the conference and exhibition to promote awareness of medical research, service, products and equipment and to boost the country's healthcare market.

Dr. Conti, a noted American public health veterinarian, and prominent American public health physician at Yale Medical School, Dr. Peter Rabinowitz, published a groundbreaking ‘first of its kind’ One Health book December 18, 2009 entitled Human-Animal Medicine – Clinical Approaches to Zoonoses and other Shared Health Risks http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9781416068372. 

International Society of Infectious Diseases (IDSD)/ProMED-Mail Wins Chase Community Giving Award – Round 1 ($25,000 Grant) - December 16, 2009

IDSD/ProMED-mail was notified that they have been awarded a $25,000 grant from the ‘Chase Community Giving program – Round 1’ http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/.  This resulted from a vote of Facebook users who recognized the significant contribution and service that IDSD/ProMED-mail has performed by distributing important worldwide infectious disease information in their free e-mail posts online http://www.promedmail.org/pls/otn/f?p=2400:1000.

ProMED-mail monitors emerging diseases and is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.

Beginning January 15, 2010, Facebook users will have the opportunity to cast up to 5 votes for the charities of their choice, but only one vote per charity.  The eligible organization receiving the most votes and meeting program requirements will earn a $1 million grant from Chase.  Five additional charities will each receive a $100,000 grant towards their cause.

The autonomous, pro bono One Health Initiative website, managed by Laura H. Kahn, MD, MPH, MPP, Thomas P. Monath, MD, Jack Woodall, PhD and Bruce Kaplan, DVM, supports and appreciates ProMED-mail (See website http://www.onehealthinitiative.com/promed.php) and ProMED-mail personnel support and appreciate the “One Health” concept.   We urge One Health supporters worldwide to consider voting for ProMED on the Chase Community website http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/ on January 15, 2010.

Thank you!

Florida Department of Health (USA) Director of Environmental Health Division to Present One Health Paper at Doha, Qatar Scientific Program December 16 (this Wednesday):

Lisa Conti, DVM, MPH, Director of the Florida Department of Health’s (USA) Environmental Health Division and One Health Newsletter editorial board member, is scheduled to present a talk entitled “Thé intersection between Human and Animal Health - Zoonotic Diseases” http://www.q-medec.com/brochures/Congress%20Booklet.pdf  this coming Wednesday, December 16 as an invited speaker at the Qatar International Medical Exhibition & Congress 2009 http://www.medical-events.com/congress/q-medec-qatar-international-medical-exhibition-congress-2009 in Doha, Qatar.  

Dr. Conti, a noted American public health veterinarian, and prominent American public health physician at Yale Medical School, Dr. Peter Rabinowitz, expect to publish a groundbreaking ‘first of its kind’ One Health book this month (December 2009) entitled Human-Animal Medicine – Clinical Approaches to Zoonoses and other Shared Health Risks http://www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=9781416068372. 

Rinderpest: first eradicated animal disease

vetsweb.com – December 7, 2009

http://www.vetsweb.com/news/rinderpest-first-eradicated-animal-disease-720.html

Rinderpest, one of the most devastating animal diseases known to man, will officially be declared extinct some time in the next eighteen months.

The Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) stated “It will be the first time in history that humankind has succeeded in killing off an animal disease and only the second time a disease has been consigned to the dustbin as a result of human efforts. The first was smallpox, in 1980.” 

The successful eradication was achieved after an intense decades-long campaign to isolate rinderpest, also known as cattle plague. Worldwide, millions of ruminants died from this devastating viral disease, which mortality rate exceeds 90 percent. The virus spreads by direct contact and through contaminated materials.

History

The disease has a long history going back to outbreaks described by the Romans in AD 376-386, and may have played a role in decline and collapse of the Roman Empire. In the eighteenth century, up to 90 percent of all cattle died in Africa south of the Sahara, causing widespread famine. The latest large outbreak occurred in northern Pakistan in 1994, killing fifty thousand cattle.

Eradication program

Vaccination was started in the sixties, and although successful at first, campaigns were often called off too soon and dramatic outbreaks reoccurred. In 1994 the Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme was started. Activities included: training farmers in recognizing and reporting rinderpest, establishing emergency response plans, biosecurity protocols, and national programs for monitoring and control, and training veterinarians in the design and implementation of blood survey campaigns followed by clinical surveillance and the setup of laboratories.

Outcome

Between 1994 and 2009, around 170 countries and territories succeeded in eliminating rinderpest and acquired OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) certification. The last-ever outbreak of the disease occurred in Kenya, in 2001. The last control activities need to be completed next year to reach the full global certification of rinderpest eradication.

A global “Yes, we can”

"When you think about it, it's quite remarkable that we are where we are today," Juan Lubroth, FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer says. "This is a disease that has been an absolute scourge in agriculture for millennia."

"But if you look at it another way, the solution was simple. We had the know-how. We had the vaccine. What was missing was, in the first place, adequate and targeted investment, and, secondly, a cohesive global coordinating mechanism. Once we had those, solving the problem was just a matter of time. The very substantial investments of many development partners in this Programme, first among them the European Commission, and the strong commitment of national governments and of mandated regional organizations have been instrumental in this success story."

Source: FAO

One Health Workshop—‘First of its kind’ in City University, Hong Kong

December 10, 2009

 December 9, 2009

 Dear One Health Initiative,

 I would like to draw your attention to the One Health Workshop being 

 conducted in City University, Hong Kong on 10 December 2009. This is

 the first initiative of its kind in Hong Kong.

 Please refer to the website:

 http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/onehealth/speech_04.html]

  http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/onehealth/speech_04.html

  Howard Wong, M.A., Vet.MB, MPVM, MRCVS

  Senior Veterinarian

  Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens

  Hong Kong

December 3, 2009

International Society for Disease Surveillance – 2009 Eight Annual Conference

http://www.syndromic.org/  and http://www.syndromic.org/conference/2009/agenda.pdf

In 2005 the International Society for Disease Surveillance was launched.

Mission Statement
The mission of the International Society for Disease Surveillance is to improve population health by advancing the field of disease surveillance. In support of this mission, the Society provides an educational and scientific forum where epidemiologists, informaticists, public health practitioners, health care providers, statisticians, and others can work together to explore and address population health monitoring across institutional and professional boundaries.