Conference: Thorough surveillance systems are necessary to prevent an increase in zoonotic diseases which spread from human to animals writes Barry Roche, Southern Correspondent.
Speakers at a recent conference on such diseases, which was held in Cork, highlighted that as modern life grows increasingly more complex, the paths of humans, animals and disease-causing pathogens will cross more and more.
"The threats may be from direct animal contact, from contaminated food, from contaminated water, from infected insects or may be posed by a pandemic flu," according to Southern Health Board public health specialist, Dr Margaret O'Sullivan.
"Whatever the threat, keen surveillance systems are essential to keep track of resulting human disease, animal disease, food contamination or water contamination - the keys to prevention and control are scientific knowledge, information sharing, understanding, preparedness and rapid response."
The conference heard how global trade in food creates particular challenges to food safety with food importation, the smuggling of food and the importation of animals and birds and the increasing threat of anti-biotic resistant pathogens all highlighting the crucial need for controls.
Entitled "Zoonotic Diseases: Global Threats and Local Issues", the conference was organized by the Cork Zoonoses Committee which was founded in 1991 and was the first zoonoses committee in Ireland.
Dr O'Sullivan said the conference allowed for invaluable discussion, exchange of views and networking among group of professionals with a common interest in zoonotic diseases.
"Now more than ever, it is vital that our knowledge of these diseases is current and that agencies work together to prepare and respond quickly when needed. Outbreaks of diseases such as SARS and Avian Flu stand to remind us of this," said Dr O'Sullivan.