Increased need for veterinarians in public health efforts

In today's New York Times, medical reporter Larry Altman has this piece discussing the increased need for joint efforts by veterinarians and physicians to respond to emerging disease threats that are carried and spread via animals. Avian flu is not the only reason such collaborations are needed...

"The diseases are known as zoonoses because they affect animals primarily, and humans only incidentally. The AIDS, SARS and A(H5N1) avian influenza viruses and at least eight other infectious agents carried by animals have led to new and emerging human diseases in recent years."

"Preventing further outbreaks, participants said, will require a variety of measures, including more education about zoonoses among veterinarians and physicians; more integration of animal diseases into health plans; the creation of more laboratories to detect animal diseases; and possibly changes in the foods people eat and the animals they keep as pets."