Human and animal health: strengthening the link: Summary of webchat

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7529.1408-a

BMJ 2005;331:1408 (10 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7529.1408-a

Letter

Human and animal health: strengthening the link

Summary of webchat

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Discussions at the webchat on the theme issue on animal andhuman health fell into two broad categories: zoonoses and animalbased research.¹

A big question was how to manage zoonotic problems operationally.Other concerns include travel, tourism and its impact on holidaydestinations, exotic animals (including insects) in crowdedaeroplanes, and the intertwined health of wild and domesticanimals.

Collaborations to deal with the challenge of zoonoses are perceivedto happen but are too reliant on informal professional contactsand personal knowledge. Cambridge vet school successfully hosteda transdisciplinary public health meeting. The medical and vetcommunities may not have the capacity to form collaborativelinks, especially in resource poor areas, but research can bringthe two professions to work together when aided.

Working together is developing in the United Kingdom. The HumanAnimal Infections and Risk Surveillance Group includes membersfrom various government agencies in England, Wales, and . . . [Full text of this article]

Birte Twisselmann, assistant editor (web)

BMJ