Zoonoses 'threaten us like never before'
Tom Soloman is director of the University of Liverpool's Institute of Infection and Global Health.
A world-renowned doctor is set to address vets at the BVA members' day next month, calling for a 'one health' approach to tackle the ever-increasing threat of zoonotic infections.
Professor Tom Soloman, a neurology and infectious diseases expert, recently headed up part of the UK's response to Ebola.
"Zoonotic infections, which spread from animals to humans, threaten us like never before," he said.
In his speech he will discuss the need for a one health approach involving vets and medics working together to prevent infections passing from animals to humans. He will also discuss the work of his team on global zoonotic challenges.
"Over the last twenty years our multi-disciplinary research group has been helping reduce the burden of this, and other emerging infections, through better surveillance and disease recognition, improved diagnostics and clinical care, and widespread vaccination."
The members' day will also see John Blackwell hand over BVA presidency to Sean Wensley.
In his outgoing speech, Mr Blackwell will underline the importance of veterinary surveillance over the past year, particularly in identifying and containing the outbreaks of avian influenza in Lancashire and Yorkshire.
"The veterinary contribution to the one health agenda has never been so important - by linking animal and human health and feeding veterinary surveillance captured at a local level into the global efforts to combat zoonotic disease.
"Tom's work reaches across the globe and his message about health experts in the human and animal fields working together is critical in our world today."
Image © Joel Redman
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
