The Collegiate Veterinary Organization (OCV) has managed to decrease the use of antibiotics by 52.3%, between 2014 and 2018. This initiative is contemplated within the PRAN (National Plan Against Antibiotic Resistance) that was implemented in Spain in 2014 to try to stop the development of resistance.
In the field of food safety, veterinarians are responsible for protecting consumers from risks related to the food chain. Last July 6 was the Day of Zoonosis, and the OCV wants to highlight the fundamental role of the veterinarian in the surveillance of this type of diseases shared by people and animals and in the fight against resistance to antibiotics, which are fundamental tools for the treatment of these.
The president of the Collegiate Veterinary Organization (OCV), Luis Alberto Calvo, underlines that the current pandemic of COVID-19 has evidenced that in the future the efficient protection of public health necessarily goes through the One Health-One health approach.
Control of zoonotic pathogens is essential
In Europe, more than 350,000 cases of zoonotic diseases are diagnosed each year, which are transmitted between animals and people. Likewise, the OCV points out that there are many other data that affect the interrelation between human health and animal health, such as that of 1,415 known human pathogens we share 863 with animals or that today there are 50,000 species of vertebrates carrying at least 20 different viruses each.
“The work that veterinarians do in preventing animal diseases not only protects their health and well-being, but is one of the most effective steps we can take to safeguard people’s health. The control of zoonotic pathogens of animal origin would prevent more than 60% of people’s diseases, “says Luis Alberto Calvo.
