Emerging and re-emerging zoonoses in South Asia: Challenges of one health

Abstract

Emerging and re-emerging zoonoses have become a serious public health concern recently. Forty percent (600 million people) of the poor in developing countries are living in the South Asian region. In addition, almost all known zoonoses have been recorded in this area. The emergence of leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis, Nipah virus, and SARS-CoV infections and the re-emergence of rabies, leptospirosis, anthrax, influenza, helminth, and fungal zoonoses have created a significant public health burden and socioeconomic impact in South Asian countries. One Health approach, the concept of combining human, animal, and environmental components to address global health challenges like zoonoses, is advantageous. This chapter will discuss the common zoonoses and the challenges in the implementation of One Health concept in the South Asian region.