Voluntary unpaid blood donations increase, saving more lives

The number of countries collecting all their blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donors increased by more than 50% between 2002 and 2008, according to new global data from WHO, released on World Blood Donor Day, 14 June.
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated each year to highlight the contribution voluntary unpaid blood donors make to public health. This year's slogan, "More blood, more life" aims to encourage still more people to come forward to give blood and save more lives.
"WHO's goal is for all countries to obtain all blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donations by 2020," says Dr. Neelam Dhingra, Coordinator, Blood Transfusion Safety at WHO. "Nine years ago, 39 countries were obtaining all their blood supplies from voluntary unpaid donors: in 2008 that figure had gone up to 62. We hope that World Blood Donor Day will encourage more people in more countries to become regular voluntary blood donors."

Source: WHO

Pigs susceptible to virulent ebolavirus can transmit the virus to other animals

Canadian investigators have shown that a species of ebolavirus from Zaire that is highly virulent in humans can replicate in pigs, cause disease, and be transmitted to animals previously unexposed to the virus. The findings are published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases and are now available online. In order to prevent human outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, it is important to identify animal species that replicate and transmit the virus to other animals and, potentially, people. Zaire ebolavirus, one of several species of the virus, has a fatality rate as high as 90 percent in humans. Antibodies to another species not associated with human disease, known as Reston ebolavirus, have been found in pig farmers in the Philippines, suggesting pigs may be able to transmit virulent ebolavirus to humans as well.

Source:

 

Discovery of new MRSA strain in milk

A new strain of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been discovered by scientists at the University of Cambridge Veterinary School. The findings are published in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases. 
The new strain has been identified in milk from dairy cows and in humans. It had not previously been detected because its genetic makeup differs from previous strains and the ‘gold standard’ molecular tests  currently used to identify MRSA do not detect this strain.


Source:  British Veterinary Association

Air quality and health

Key facts

• Air pollution is a major environmental risk to health and is estimated to cause approximately 2 million premature deaths worldwide per year.
• Exposure to air pollutants is largely beyond the control of individuals and requires action by public authorities at the national, regional and even international levels.
• The WHO Air quality guidelines represent the most widely agreed and up-to-date assessment of health effects of air pollution, recommending targets for air quality at which the health risks are significantly reduced.
• By reducing particulate matter (PM₁₀) pollution from 70 to 20 micrograms per cubic metre, we can cut air quality related deaths by around 15%.
• By reducing air pollution levels, we can help countries reduce the global burden of disease from respiratory infections, heart disease, and lung cancer.
• The WHO guidelines provide interim targets for countries that still have very high levels of air pollution to encourage the gradual cutting down of emissions. These interim targets are: a maximum of three days a year with up to 150 micrograms of PM₁₀ per cubic metre (for short term peaks of air pollution), and 70 micrograms per cubic metre for long term exposures to PM₁₀.
• More than half of the burden from air pollution on human health is borne by people in developing countries. In many cities, the average annual levels of PM₁₀ (the main source of which is the burning of fossil fuels) exceed 70 micrograms per cubic metre. The guidelines say that, to prevent ill health, those levels should be lower than 20 micrograms per cubic metre.

Source: World Health Organization Media Centre, Fact Sheets

World Veterinary Day Special

Contribution of veterinarians in public health activities

Veterinarian’s role in public health is well known. For instance, the work of the French veterinarian, Gaston Ramon, in the development of diphtheria toxoid has drastically reduced the incidence of diphtheria in children. The fundamental studies of Daniel E. Salmon and Theobald Smith on porcine salmonellosis resulted in the discovery of the first killed vaccine which formed the basis of the methods employed on a gigantic scale to protect human beings against cholera, plague and typhoid fever. The establishment and practice of modern principles of food hygiene for dairy and meat industries is another significant activity through which the veterinarians have been actively contributing to public health worldwide. These principles are applicable to several other food industries as well. In modern times, the veterinarians are making remarkable contribution in public health programmes worldwide.

Like in the developed nations, in India too, veterinary graduates and postgraduates are quite knowledgeable regarding a number of public health problems, their causes, transmission pathways, and the measures for their prevention and control. They are imparted specialized training and are taught several courses in the field of Veterinary Public Health at undergraduate and postgraduate levels under the Minimum Standards of Veterinary Education Regulations prescribed by the Veterinary Council of India. The veterinarians have a detailed practical knowledge of zoonotic disease control and hygienic production, inspection and quality assurance of animal products like milk, meat, eggs, fish etc., environmental health etc.

Sadly, the potential of extensive veterinary workforce in public health programmes remains largely unutilized in India despite their resourcefulness and close proximity to rural folks. They can make significant contribution in the national food safety, food security and international trade through their involvement in food inspection and quality control programmes. The veterinarians can also collaborate with public health specialists (medical professionals) quite meaningfully and effectively in the areas like epidemiology, control and prevention of zoonotic diseases and environmental health problems.

It is high time to use the services of veterinary professionals to combat the public health problems more fiercely.

Inputs:

Dr. Ashwani Kumar

Professor & Former HOD, Veterinary Public Health, College of Veterinary Sciences, Hisar

Former Professor, Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Mekelle University, Mekelle, Ethiopia