Challenges Facing Emerging Infectious Diseases - 2398 Words

Introduction Today, humankind is faced with various obstacles and challenges requiring global responses and solutions to the spread of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs). EIDs can be defined as infections that are newly emerging or have existed previously in a particular region and then reemerged at a rapidly increasing incidence rate (Calistri et al., 2013). Many of the emerging infectious diseases today, including those caused by transboundary diseases and bioterrorist agents, are zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that are transmissible from both wild and domestic animals to humans (Kahn, 2006). The One Health concept, over the past few years, has generated a great deal of public attention with regards to viral zoonosis following†¦show more content†¦Ultimately, One Health seeks to address and integrate various interdisciplinary approaches at the local, national and global levels, in order to attain and facilitate optimal health, well-being, and enhanced cooperation among mankind, wildlife, and the environment. Acknowledging globalization trends and socio-ecological systems The One Health concept is a global initiative that is used towards expanding multidisciplinary collaborations and infrastructures in all aspects of health care among humans, animals (both domestic and wild), and the environment. Globalization can be conceptualized as the worldwide movement toward economic, financial, and communication integration and is the process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of factors such as increased worldwide trade and cultural exchange. Over the past several years there has been a plethora of multifactorial global revolutions, including: rapid population growth, changes in nutritional, agricultural and trade practices, increasing international trade and travel, ecotourism and global warming (Coker et al., 2011)(Dhama et al., 2013); Each of which, are organized around the industrialization and development of a pre-modern to post-modern state movement that has contributed towards increased global interdependence, increas ing global interconnectedness through communication technologies and