animal health

What Shelter Dogs Can Tell Us About Emerging Zoonotic Diseases

Posted on by Michele Arduengo, PhD

Why Are Zoonotic Diseases Becoming a Bigger Risk?

As of September 9, 2025, the Worldometer listed the human global population as 8.3 billion people (1). This population growth means that humans will be living and working in previously uninhabited or minimally disturbed environments, increasing interactions between humans, domestic animals, wildlife, and their pathogens. This intensifying human-animal interface heightens the risk of zoonotic disease transmission, where pathogens cross species barriers (from wildlife to domestic livestock or from wildlife to humans), potentially leading to outbreaks and even pandemics.

How Do Urbanization and Climate Change Amplify Zoonotic Threats?

Urbanization, habitat disruption, and climate change further exacerbate these risks by altering ecosystems and facilitating the spread and emergence of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases. Understanding and addressing these threats requires robust surveillance, effective diagnostics, and proactive strategies to prevent and mitigate disease emergence and spread.

In urban areas, public health officials are already using wastewater to monitor known pathogens and identify “hot spots” of activity to predict increases in illness within local populations (2). Animal shelters are another place where there is an opportunity to monitor for emerging infectious diseases that could affect domestic pet animals.

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One Health and H5N1: Promega’s Commitment to Holistic Solutions

Posted on by Promega

The global outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) underscores the critical importance of proactive and integrated health strategies. With its zoonotic potential, the H5N1 virus affects diverse animal populations and poses significant risks to human health, ecosystems, and economies worldwide. At Promega, we are dedicated to equipping researchers and public health professionals with the tools they need to navigate and address these complex challenges.

Understanding H5N1 and Its Impact

A Global Challenge

The H5N1 outbreak has led to the depopulation of over 300 million birds across 108 countries, spanning five continents. The virus has infected over 500 bird species and at least 70 mammalian species, including endangered California condors and polar bears (1). The virus has had significant economic repercussions, particularly in the poultry industry, with 168 million birds culled in the United States to date (2). Recent human infections, primarily among farm workers, highlight the need for continued vigilance and robust surveillance systems.

The One Health initiative takes a holistic approach to managing disease outbreaks such as bird flu.
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