One Health Day Seminar: “One Health Approaches to Zoonoic Disease Prevention, Preparedness & Response”, Speaker - Kevin Olival

Zoonotic diseases, or those that jump between animal species and humans, make up the majority of novel infectious diseases and are primarily driven to emerge due to anthropogenic factors including land-use change, climate change, development, and agricultural expansion. However, the specific mechanisms that influence disease transmission, prevalence, and cross-species disease “spillover” are still not elucidated for most diseases and most ecosystems. Our current lack of understanding of these processes impedes our ability to develop and implement mitigation measures. Integrated ‘One Health’ research and policy approaches, at the nexus of ecology, biodiversity science, infectious disease dynamics, human and veterinary research, and socio-economics are needed given the complexities and global impact of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). This talk by Dr. Kevin Olival, Vice President of Research for the EcoHealth Alliance, will present an overview of research and other initiatives at the EcoHealth Alliance designed to strengthen emerging disease prevention at the landscape-animal-human interface where they are needed most – particularly in lower-middle income countries in “EID hotspot” regions of the world.