One Health Team Combats Animal-to-Human Disease Transmission

Living on a planet with more than seven billion people and countless more animals, viruses have many options to invade - and they're not picky. Viruses often jump from animals to humans, causing many diseases ranging from avian flu to Lyme disease, West Nile virus to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). 

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) estimates that more than 60 percent of emerging infectious diseases in humans are transmitted from animals in a process called zoonoses. Though some diseases transmit from livestock, many more - at least 74 percent - come from wildlife, which is most likely a result of human encroachment into animals' habitats. Making matters worse, some diseases, such as anthrax, can be harvested for bio-terrorism.