- One of the current global goals is to reach zero cases of rabies transmitted from dogs to humans by 2030.
- One of the hypotheses about the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic mentions that the disease passed from animals to people.
- World Zoonoses Day is commemorated every July 6.
The close relationship between humans and animals, combined with the lack of prevention through measures such as vaccination, can increase the risk of zoonoses, that is, the transmission of infectious diseases. This situation represents a public health problem that also has an economic impact.
Lessons learned from the pandemic
This situation became more evident with the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. Although the origin of the health crisis is still not known with certainty, one of the hypotheses suggests that the SARS CoV-2 virus it passed from animals to humans to cause millions of infections.
Data on the #Rage🐾
It is a zoonosis that affects domestic or wild mammals and is transmitted to humans through contact with infected saliva, through bites or scratches.
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– HEALTH Mexico (@SSalud_mx) July 7, 2023
With the above in mind and regarding the World Zoonoses Day which is commemorated every July 6, we share some of the most common diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
Brucellosis: Also Known As Maltese fever or Mediterranean feveris transmitted directly by the ingestion of milk and consumption of unpasteurized dairy products, or indirectly by contact with products, by-products and organic waste, such as tissues or excretions of animals that suffer from the disease.
In humans it can cause chills, headache, continuous fever of 40ºC or more, sweating crisis, among other symptoms.
Leptospirosis: It is one of the most common zoonoses among domestic animals. It regularly occurs throughout the year but more frequently in the rainy season.
In Mexico, 75% of the entities have reported cases in humans, presenting some signs such as fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, cough, conjunctival bleeding and hemorrhage, nausea, vomiting, among other symptoms. To prevent it, it is essential to vaccinate pets with innovative treatments that protect them from the disease.
Rage: Rabies is transmitted to people mainly through the saliva of infected animals, through a bite, scratch or lick on the mucosa or skin. This disease is positioned as one of the most serious and, despite the fact that more than 100 years have passed since the discovery of the vaccine, it continues to be the most important zoonosis in the country due to how contagious and deadly it can be.
All mentioned diseases can be prevented with animal health care. One of the best strategies is immunization in both companion and production animals in order to reduce risks.
“A correct diagnosis, control, prevention and treatment of zoonoses offers us a great advantage to help producers and managers of companion animals to take care of their health, in addition to representing a direct intervention in human health, the environment environment and sustainable development”, emphasized Leonardo Burcius, General Director of MSD Animal Health in Mexico.
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