Operationalization of One Health and tripartite collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region

One Health refers to the collaborative efforts of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally andglobally to attain optimal health for people, animals and our environment. The One Health approachis increasingly popular in the context of growing threats from emerging zoonoses, antimicrobialresistance and climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, WorldOrganisation for Animal Health and World Health Organization have been working together in the wakeof the avian influenza crisis in the Asia-Pacific region to provide strong leadership to endorse the OneHealth concept and promote interagency and intersectoral collaboration. The programme on highlypathogenic emerging diseases in Asia (2009–2014) led to the establishment of a regional tripartitecoordination mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region to support collaboration between the animal andhuman health sectors. The remit of this mechanism has expanded to include other priority One Healthchallenges, such as antimicrobial resistance and food safety. The mechanism has helped to organizeeight Asia-Pacific workshops on multisectoral collaboration for the prevention and control of zoonosessince 2010, facilitating advocacy and operationalization of One Health at regional and country levels.The tripartite group and international partners have developed several One Health tools, which areuseful for operationalization of One Health at the country level. Member States are encouraged todevelop a One Health strategic framework taking into account the country’s context and priorities.

Detection of Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus ortleppi in Bhutan.

In this pilot study, fecal samples were collected from community dogs around slaughterhouses and from the city of Thimphu (n=138) as well as from carnivores in the forest area around a farm in Bhutan (n=28). Samples were analyzed microscopically for the presence of taeniid eggs by the floatation and sieving method. Further molecular analyses of 20 samples of community dogs positive for taeniid eggs confirmed 10 Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato and one Taenia hydatigena case. From 14 environmental fecal samples from the forest area positive for taeniid eggs, one contained E. granulosus s.l., six T. hydatigena and one Taenia taeniaeformis DNA. In the remaining samples considered positive for taeniid eggs, no molecular confirmation could be achieved. Additionally, Echinococcus cysts were collected from locally slaughtered cattle and imported cattle organs. Seven Echinococcus cysts (one fertile) from the local animals and 35 (four fertile) from imported cattle organs were confirmed as E. granulosus (G1-3) by PCR/sequencing. One Echinococcus cyst each from a local animal and from an imported cattle organ (both fertile) were confirmed to be Echinococcus ortleppi (G5). Sterile Echinococcus cysts were also collected from local yaks (n=10), and all revealed to be E. granulosus (G1-G3). Hospital records of cystic echinococcosis in humans and the presence of Echinococcus spp. in dogs and ungulates indicate the existence of local transmission for both E. ortleppi and E. granulosus in Bhutan.