Working Together for One Health | One Health – CDC

One Health is the idea that the health of people is connected to the health of animals, plants, and our shared environment. Learn why One Health is important and how, by working together, we can achieve the best health for everyone.
Did you know that human health is closely connected to the health of animals, plants, and the environment? Animals and people often can be affected by many of the same diseases, environmental issues, and other health threats.
As Earth’s population grows, our connection with animals and the environment changes: people live closer together, travel more often around the globe, alter the environment, and have different relationships with animals for companionship, education, food, and more. These changes make it easier for diseases to spread between animals and people. Tracking diseases in animals helps to keep domestic and wild animals healthy and also can help prevent disease outbreaks in people.
Experts and the community can work together to support One Health.
A One Health approach to public health involves many experts working together to improve the health of people, animals — including pets, livestock and other production animals, and wildlife, both free-ranging and captive — and the environment. Common types of professionals involved in One Health work include disease detectives, laboratorians, human healthcare providers, veterinarians, physicians, nurses, scientists, ecologists, policy makers, and others. However, One Health issues can affect everyone, from pet owners, travelers, and farmers to anyone who buys and eats food or drinks or swims in water.
Partnerships and communication between experts in animal, human, and environmental health are an essential part of the One Health approach. A One Health approach can also include other partners and organizations working on shared health threats. Working together allows us to have the biggest impact on improving health for both people and animals. CDC has partners in the United States and around the world, all working together to keep people healthy and educated about One Health. From researching sick sea otters in California, to developing an app for farmers to track illness in animal herds, much of the One Health work being done around the world is dependent on agencies and organizations supporting each other and sharing resources and knowledge. All of this work can help to predict, prevent, and control zoonotic disease outbreaks that threaten human and animal health, and can address other threats that affect humans, animals, and our shared environment.
November 3 is One Health Day! This is a day to celebrate and bring attention to the One Health concept. Education and awareness events are held all around the world and provide people a chance to see One Health in action. One Health Day brings people together in support of achieving the best health for all people, animals, and the environment!
You can be a One Health hero by taking steps to prevent diseases spread between animals and people.
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