5.5 Strategies for control

One has definitely heard the following tips for staying clean:

  1. Keep your hands clean
  2. Stay safe around pets
  3. Avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas
  4. Handle food safely
  5. Be aware of zoonotic diseases at home, at childcare settings, schools, and at petting zoos when travelling.
  6. Avoid being bitten or scratched by animals.

5.5.1 Intervention programs

Medical fraternities, the general public, and specific, vulnerable populations should all be made aware of zoonotic diseases.

In order to promote zoonosis prevention and promote health, we ought to:

  1. Identify risk factors for infection
  2. Identify important reservoirs for disease
  3. Recognize possible routes of transmission
  4. Identify the socioecological determinants of health

5.5.2 Multi-disciplinary collaborations

Preventing new zoonoses from occurring is a shared responsibility among animals and healthcare professionals, public health professionals, communities, and even individuals. It is also their duty to provide accurate information to stakeholders to make informed decisions about their animal interactions.

Furthermore, an awareness education campaign of sorts must also be launched for specialized groups, and there should also be joint monitoring and surveillance for zoonoses.

In some sense, animals can also serve as sentinels for humans.

5.5.3 Disease control

Disease control programs should have a system of monitoring and surveillance (for disease control [obviously] and for intervention).

Disease eradication programs are a special case of a disease control program that aims to eliminate specific diseases.

5.5.3.1 Principles of disease control

There are six principles to be wary of:

  1. Biosecurity

    Procedures or measures should be designed to protect the general population against harmful biological or biochemical agents.

  2. Movement control

    This stops the spread of disease.

  3. Culling

    This reduces the size of a selected population via selective slaughter.

  4. Disinfection

    This includes the cleaning of premises that have been housing infected animals.

  5. Vaccination

    This protects against diseases.

  6. Chemical interventions

    These include using antibiotics, vaccines, or some other chemical to control and treat infections.