World Veterinary Day - 2015
On the theme of 'vector-borne diseases with a zoonotic potential'

Dr K Rashbehari Singh *

A Free veterinary camp held at Keishampat by Manipur Dog Lovers Club on 24 April 2015 :: Pix - Chingkheinganba L

World Veterinary Association (WVA), in the year 2000, instigated to celebrate World Veterinary Day (WVD) annually on the last Saturday of April. The various contributions to the veterinarians to the animal welfare, food safety, food security, safe world trade in animals and animal products as well as protecting public health are discussed on this occasion.

WVA and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) agreed on the creation of the World Veterinary Day Award in the year 2008, aimed at rewarding the most successful celebration of the contribution of the veterinary profession to society. At the Opening Ceremony of the OIE 83rd General Session to be held in Paris, France on 24th May, 2015 winner of the 2015 award will be announced and will be invited to the 32nd World Veterinary Congress, 13-17 September, 2015 at Istanbul, where the winner will receive the price of 1,000 US$. The selected theme of the WVD, 2015 is 'Vector-borne diseases with a zoonotic potential' and WVD,2015 was celebrated on the 25th April, 2015.

A living organism that transmits an infectious agent from an infected animal to a human or another animal is known as a vector. Vectors are frequently arthropods, such as mosquitoes, ticks, flies, fleas and lice. Vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks which carry pathogens that can multiply within their bodies and be delivered to new hosts, usually by biting are known as biological vectors. On the other hand, vectors, such as flies which can pick up infectious agents on the outside of their bodies and transmit them through physical contact are known as mechanical vectors.

Vector-borne diseases are those diseases which are transmitted by vectors. Zoonotic diseases (also called zoonoses) are those diseases that can be transmitted directly or indirectly between animals and humans, e.g. Lyme Disease, tick -borne encephalitis, West Nile population for the first time or that may have existed previously but is rapidly increasing in incidence or geographic range are called emerging infectious diseases. Many vector-born diseases are considered as emerging infectious diseases in the European Union.

The potential of emerging diseases such as Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) to spread rapidly worldwide accelerate research on zoonoses. Prevention and control of such disease outbreaks require coordination of standardized animal and human health data; increased collaboration among veterinarians, doctors, and wildlife biologists; as well as development of early warning systems.

Recent concerns of vector-borne zoonotic disease have focuses on West Nile Virus, BSE, and now avian influenza. Most strains of the avian influenza virus are not pathogenic to humans, but reports are there for spread of H5Ni avian influenza in poultry in Asia and Europe and its ability to infect humans.

Climate change increases the risk of zoonoses by expanding the host, reservoir, and vector base. Strengthening of public health infrastructure for disease surveillance, food and water safety, control of vectors and disease reservoirs, and public health outbreak responses are required. Control of zoonoses and associated outbreaks and provision of safe food and water are important challenges to be faced. To minimize the effects of climate change on vector-borne diseases, multinational and collaborative scientific efforts are required.

There are unprecedented changes in the lives of humans and those of the animals on which they depend and interact with. Not only climatic change, there are dramatic changes in human demographics, behavior, land use practices as well as changes in the environment at both large and small scales. These changes, alone and in concert, alter interactions between humans and infectious disease agents leading to clear emergence of infectious and zoonotic diseases. Vectors (e.g. ticks, fleas, black flies, mosquitoes and sand flies) of zoonotic parasites are also influenced by these changes and change their relationships with humans.

Under the above circumstances, arthropod vectors may enhance their potential to spread bacteria, viruses, protozoa and helminthes. The changes in the distribution of vector-borne parasitic zoonosis give an impact not only to the human and animal health but also to the economy, resulting in the lost of millions of dollars / rupees annually. Developing countries (e.g. Africa, South and Central America and Far East), where control and prevention strategies are often impaired by economic problems, are affected by these infections.

The world is changing constantly and the vector- borne zoonotic diseases are also changing and adapting to their new environments. The diseases change their vectors, their hosts, their distribution and also their virulence. Medical and veterinary personnel need constant monitoring of these changes and update about emerging pathogens that are primarily transmitted by the arthropods. Awareness is needed for early diagnosis, better management and more efficient prevention of the vector- borne diseases. Environmental and climatic changes may affect both ecology and behavior of arthropod vectors and therefore constant monitoring of these factors is important.