One Health Specialists are interdisciplinary professionals who address the complex connections between human health, animal health, and environmental health. They work across sectors to prevent and control infectious diseases that can spread between animals and humans—known as zoonoses—such as avian influenza, rabies, and COVID-19. By collaborating with veterinarians, physicians, ecologists, and public health officials, they identify risk factors at the human-animal-environment interface and promote integrated solutions to reduce disease emergence and spread. Their work is grounded in the principle that human health is intrinsically connected to the health of animals and the surrounding environment.
These specialists are pivotal in developing surveillance systems, biosecurity protocols, and outbreak response strategies that account for all three domains. They contribute to global health security by monitoring wildlife, improving food safety, and guiding land use practices that limit ecological disruption. One Health Specialists also advocate for policy changes that support sustainable farming, antimicrobial stewardship, and climate adaptation. With the rising frequency of zoonotic outbreaks and the impact of environmental change on disease patterns, their role is becoming increasingly central to global public health efforts. Their collaborative, systems-based approach is essential for preventing future pandemics and building more resilient health infrastructures. Their work helps bridge science, policy, and community action on a global scale.
Title : Extensively drug-resistant bacterial infections: Confronting a global crisis with urgent solutions in prevention, surveillance, and treatment
Yazdan Mirzanejad, University of British Columbia, Canada