One Health Movement News / One Health Topics 'in' the News

The schism between the health professions [in the U.S.] was made evident during the summer of 1999 when West Nile virus appeared for the first time in the Western Hemisphere. In and around New York City, a rash of mysterious illness in people, with some deaths, coincided with massive bird die-off. Federal and state health officials initially ruled the cause as St. Louis encephalitis, caused by a rare flavivirus that affects humans but does not kill birds. Dr. McNamara, who was investigating the bird deaths, helped make the connection that West Nile virus was the cause of the human and bird outbreaks. ,,,,, "I hope that this project is the first step in working toward one health," Dr. McNamara said. "We're all part of an ecosystem. You can't just look at one species in isolation and expect to have all the answers."