Animation: Companion Animal Vector-Borne Diseases
Channel: Diana Saville
Date: 2015-10-29

With the growing global human population, environmental changes, and increases in animal travel, animals and humans are interacting in new ways.

Because animals and humans rely on each other so much, this contact can enable diseases to spread between them.

Mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, and sand-flies are parasites to animals and humans—and when these parasites spread microscopic organisms they are called “vectors”.

Diseases like Lyme Disease, West Nile Disease, Leishmaniosis and Dirofilaria repens can infect both animals and humans. When an infectious disease is shared between different species, like humans and animals, science calls this “zoonosis”.

Scientists around the world recognize the importance of companion vector-borne diseases and the role animals have in the spread of these diseases.

Science even says that 75% of emerging or re-emerging animal diseases can also affect us.
  
Because the health of humans and animals is closely linked, public health experts are working together to focus on companion animal vector-borne diseases, under the “One Health” banner .

Through the concept of “One Health”, healthcare professionals and policy makers can plan new strategies to protect against the diseases that spread between animals and humans to keep everyone healthy. 
 
Learn more and join us at www.cvbd.org