Biodiversity, One Health, and Zoonotic Disease Liz VanWormer, University of California, Davis
Health for Animals and Livelihood Improvement (HALI) Project
Biodiversity
Human Health
Zoonotic Disease
Human- Animal- Environment
Interface
Land Use Change & Human Population
Growth
Increased Contact Between Humans,
Livestock, & Wildlife
Enhanced Flow of Pathogens
Health Risks to Humans, Livestock,
& Wildlife
Livelihood Impacts & Economic Pressures
• Majority of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) in people are of animal origin (zoonotic)
• 75% of emerging zoonoses have wildlife origins
• Annual population growth among highest in buffers to protected areas near wildlife
Health for
Animals and
Livelihood
Improvement
project
One Health
Research,
Capacity Building,
and Outreach
Why the Ruaha Ecosystem?
A Barabaig woman serves un-boiled milk to men
after she has finished milking and the men have
treated 2 sick cows.
Water Scarcity and
Resulting Threats:
• Livelihood impacts on pastoral
communities
• Labor stress
• Livestock productivity
• Human & livestock disease
• Impaired ecosystem services
• Water quality
• Disease transmission
• Impacts on wildlife and tourism
NIH TB slide??
• Pic with harrison – introduce him as CC
Investigating zoonotic TB at the human-animal-environment interface
Strengthening Livestock Health, Human Nutrition,
and Pastoral Livelihoods in a Changing Climate
Formal and Informal Training
Men's and women’s disease risks likely differ; women
have regular, close contact with livestock, particularly
lactating females, whereas men have occasional, but
intense contact with sick animals.
Threat to Food Security
- Crop-raiding
- Contaminating Food
- Threat to livestock Ecotourism Revenue
Connection and Well-being Source of Food Security
SMART Surveillance
Building Diagnostic Laboratory Capacity
RUAHA
National
Park
Wildlife
Health Lab
11,370,425 people; 1,087 people/sq. mi.
Gorillas and People
Gorilla Conservation Employee Health Program
• Annual physical examinations, disease screening, vision
evaluations, health & hygiene education
• Follow-up care as indicated at local hospitals
• Quarterly de-worming for workers and their families
Thank you! UC Davis One Health Institute: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ohi/
HALI: http://haliproject.org
PREDICT: http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/ohi/predict/
Gorilla Doctors: http://gorilladoctors.org