Abstract
BackgroundYears of advocacy for the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) have focused the world's attention on these diseases of the poor, resulting most recently in the 2012 “London Declaration” and the recent World Health Assembly Resolution WHA66.12 on NTDs in May 2013. Control of the endemic neglected zoonotic diseases (NZDs) would benefit from a similar campaign, which needs the support of a global community.Methodology/Principal FindingsThe resolutions from all 66 World Health Assembly (WHA) meetings held between 1948 and 2013 were examined to determine how many contain a specific focus on any of the following eight NZDs as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO): anthrax, bovine tuberculosis (TB), brucellosis, Taenia solium cysticercosis, cystic echinococcosis (hydatidosis), leishmaniasis, rabies, and zoonotic human African trypanosomiasis (HAT or sleeping sickness). Twenty-one resolutions adopted in the 16 assemblies between 1948 and 2013 targeted one or more of these eight NZDs, representing 4% of the total resolutions on infectious diseases passed to date. The 2013 adoption of Resolution WHA66.12 targeting all 17 NTDs marks a change in approach by the WHA. Whereas previous resolutions have targeted the NTDs as separate entities, the new approach of the combined resolution will help increase the overall momentum to target these ancient diseases as coendemic clusters in endemic countries. However, three major NZDs remain outside this recent resolution: anthrax, brucellosis, and bovine TB.Conclusions and SignificanceThe recent adoption of a specific resolution at the WHA in 2013 that emphasises a One Health approach for the successful control of 17 NTDs is a major development in advocacy. However, recognition of the importance of three major NZDs to public health in endemic countries—anthrax, brucellosis, and bovine tuberculosis—is still lacking despite being prioritised by the WHA as early as the 1950s. Global advocacy for control of the NZDs as a whole would similarly benefit from adoption of a One Health approach as is promoted for the NTDs under WHA66.12.
Highlights
Control of zoonotic disease requires integrated action from both human and animal health sectors alongside support and consultation from other sectors or industries
Global advocacy for control of the neglected zoonotic diseases (NZDs) as a whole would benefit from adoption of a One Health approach as is promoted for the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) under WHA66.12
Zoonotic diseases have been prioritised in World Health Organisation (WHO) policy since its inception in 1948, with 15–20 zoonotic diseases considered of major global importance in the initial work of the organisation [20]
Summary
Control of zoonotic disease requires integrated action from both human and animal health sectors alongside support and consultation from other sectors or industries. The rapid response to recent zoonoses outbreaks, such as those of West Nile virus and monkeypox in the United States, Hendra virus in Australia, Nipah virus in Malaysia and Singapore, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in China and Canada, and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), demonstrates how the mobilisation of considerable political and financial support for the control of emerging diseases is possible on a regional—if not global—scale. The linkages between NTDs, poverty, and the Millennium Development Goals are clearly acknowledged in the literature, for example, the WHO’s ‘‘Global Plan to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases’’ [7] In addition to this group of 17 NTDs, the WHO has identified a subgroup of eight endemic or ‘‘neglected zoonotic diseases’’ (NZDs): anthrax, bovine tuberculosis, brucellosis, T. solium cysticercosis, cystic echinococcosis (hydatidosis), leishmaniasis, rabies, and HAT [8]. Control of the endemic neglected zoonotic diseases (NZDs) would benefit from a similar campaign, which needs the support of a global community
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