Veterinary Public Health
The Veterinary Public Health group works at the interface of human and animal health. Since human and animal health are closely linked to the environment and influenced by local socio-cultural customs and beliefs, these factors play an important role. The group's work aims to go beyond simply looking at pathogen-host interactions and to strengthen human health through a One Health approach by improving animal health, which contributes to the stabilization of health systems in the long term. Particularly the management of endemic diseases that receive less attention than the "classical" epidemics or emerging pathogens can contribute to such system strengthening. The zoonoses among the neglected tropical diseases are typical representatives of these diseases. Dog-mediated human rabies serves as a model disease for the development of methods for implementing and strengthening intersectoral cooperation, which have been piloted in Africa and Asia in collaboration with partners such as WHO, WOAH and GIZ. In addition, the work of international committees and capacity building activities in this area are supported. In cooperation with WHO, the current project Evidence-informed Policy Approaches for One Health OH-EVI (https://ghpp.de/en/projects/oh-evi/) highlights relevant One Health Topics in partner countries being addressed through an evidence-based approach and translated into policy. The working group also supports FLI´s presence on Zanzibar through practical organization of cross-sectoral workshops, One Health summer schools, general scientific advice and own research on epidemiologic questions such as zoonotic disease prevalence and reservoir functions in cattle and dogs.
