Veterinarian students attending Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine work with donkeys to develop their veterinary skills. They can participate in faculty-led research to advance global donkey health and address overpopulation in the region. Photo courtesy Adtalem Global Education We live in a complex world that is constantly changing and evolving. Over the past 44 years, the number of global airline passengers has grown from 750 million to 9.4 billion1—an increase of over 1,100 percent. In 2022, 16 million2 acres of forests were destroyed, an area larger than the state of West Virginia. From 2019 to 2024, COVID-19, which is caused by a zoonotic coronavirus, resulted in 7.1 million deaths worldwide,3 with substantial implications on economies and societies. For the first time ever, bird flu4 was found in dairy cows earlier this year, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern for the second time in two years.5 On the surface, these factors might appear unrelated. However, if we view them through the One Health lens, we can see their interconnectedness and the significant impact each one has on another and the world, necessitating multidisciplinary approaches to address these complex challenges around global health. One Health: A review One Health is an interdisciplinary approach that works to achieve optimal health by recognizing and understanding the interconnection among people, animals, and the environment. Although “One Health” is a fairly new term, it is not a new concept. The connection between human and animal health has been long established. Scientists have been researching and recording diseases that look similar between animals and humans since the early 1800s.6 While One Health has evolved throughout the centuries, there has been an increased focus on the concept since the turn of the 21st century, which was marked by a surge of globalization. However, we only need to look back a few years to realize the focus on One Health is needed now more than ever. When COVID-19 was first reported in 2019 and evolved into a highly infectious zoonotic virus that infected humans and spread at an alarming rate, the world was not adequately prepared to respond. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a zoonotic disease as any disease caused by germs spread from animals to humans.7 COVID-19 was a turning point for the scientific community and society at large to realize and experience the devastating and extensive impact a zoonotic disease can have on people, animals, and the global economy. By adopting a One Health approach that encompasses medicine, veterinary, and environmental sciences in researching infectious diseases, we can incorporate a holistic view that aims to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases and prioritizes the well-being of humans, animals, and the environment equally. A new old threat: mpox As people, animals, and environments are exposed to changes resulting from factors such as increased travel and trade, expanding geographical areas, climate changes, and evolving health protocols, the likelihood of infectious diseases spreading faster and on a larger scale is imminent.8 Mpox is a prime example of how a previously localized infectious disease now has global pandemic potential. After smallpox was eradicated in 1980, people were no longer receiving the smallpox vaccine worldwide. Since the smallpox vaccine9 offered cross-protection against mpox, discontinuing the vaccine might be among the factors that resulted in a surge of mpox cases in humans. Imported small mammals from Ghana were linked to an outbreak in the U.S. in 2003, followed by thousands of cases reported yearly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.10 In 2017, mpox re-emerged in Nigeria; in May 2022 cases were reported for the first time in countries where the disease is not endemic due to people traveling to Europe and North America. Between January 2022 and August 2024, mpox has been reported in over 120 countries, with more than 100,000 laboratory-confirmed cases and 220 deaths among these cases.11 Although the pox has been around for decades, the currently circulating variants have accumulated new mutations12 that might be concerning, especially given its rapid spread recently. The history of mpox, its resurgence as a threat with pandemic potential, and alarming genetic changes underscore the increased importance of understanding and prioritizing One Health. In addition to mpox, some other animal-borne diseases that can cause recurring outbreaks include the Ebola virus, SARS, and salmonellosis. Other familiar infectious diseases that have evolved in animals and subsequently transmitted to humans include SARS/MERS-coronaviruses, bird flu, dengue fever, and eastern equine encephalitis. Others, such as HIV, began in animals, but later evolved to affect only humans. While much emphasis is placed on diseases passed from animals to humans, there should be an equal focus on disease transmission from humans to animals—reverse zoonosis. This poses an entirely new set of challenges as it provides an opportunity for the virus to evolve even further before making its way back to humans. As we keep an eye on the next potential pandemic, One Health remains one of the best ways to research potential pandemic-causing pathogens proactively. The industry’s role Veterinarians are uniquely positioned to address zoonotic diseases and implement the One Health framework. They have the knowledge and perspective to establish the connection between animals and humans, especially concerning infectious diseases. Understanding and adopting the concept of One Health should be a priority in veterinary science as they are often the first line of defense against zoonotic pathogens. They ensure the health and safety of livestock, which directly impacts our food source, care for our domesticated companion animals, whose health and safety can often impact our mental health, and study diseases and the transmission of pathogens, especially at the interface of wildlife, humans, and domestic animals. Veterinarians play a critical role in everyday lives, and adopting a One Health-minded approach can help them better understand their roles as stewards of animals and our shared environment. Academic institutions educating the next generation of veterinarians and scientists are creating learning environments and opportunities committed to advancing human and animal health. At Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM), I am the director of our One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, which focuses on research aimed at understanding and combating zoonotic, vector-borne, and other infectious diseases affecting human and animal health. Research centers like these that focus on One Health are helpful in equipping veterinary students to become practice- and career-ready graduates who contribute to global health advancements. RUSVM’s research center, which is located on the island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean, gives students the unique opportunity to conduct research in an isolated geographical region with vast ecological diversity that is underexplored as a research destination. St. Kitts is a habitat for wild animals, such as monkeys and mongoose, domesticated animals, and a plethora of marine life. Given the small size of the island, people and animals tend to be in close contact, thereby creating a perfect environment for studying One Health from the infectious disease perspective. Through ethical and responsible research that focuses on local resources and biodiversity, and involving local communities in research projects, students can help influence local government policies and community development. Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine is home to a herd of about 150 donkeys. The school works with locals in Nevis to capture and transport wild donkeys to campus to help prevent further ecological harm while teaching students the importance of giving back to the community. Photo courtesy Adtalem Global Education Teaching veterinary science using a One Health approach and offering the doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree, students have research opportunities from the start of their DVM education, broadening their minds and career paths. In my experience as a professor, I see many students who come to RUSVM wanting to be small animal vets. However, once exposed to the various research projects running in our One Health research center, students develop an interest in pursuing careers relevant to One Health, such as public health. Recently, an RUSVM graduate joined the CDC and works in the epidemic intelligence service supporting efforts on the frontline during an outbreak. Not many people realize veterinarians are doing that type of work. Photo courtesy Adtalem Global Education Involving the community Veterinarians are not the only ones who need to implement a One Health approach. Healthcare workers, environmentalists, and policymakers also need to adopt the framework. Adtalem Global Education, the parent company of RUSVM and four other healthcare institutions, encourages graduate students who become veterinarians, nurses, physicians, educators, and social welfare professionals to embrace the One Health initiative. Through this approach, students, educators, and alumni collaborate, teaching and learning together, sharing the expertise that leads to inclusive problem-solving. By incorporating One Health into the education of various disciplines, we can better understand the connectedness at the core of our everyday interactions between humans, animals, and the physical environment. Thanks to advancements in science and technology, we know more about the world than ever before, but science has no endpoint. We live in an ever-changing world, where humans, animals, the environment, and pathogens are constantly evolving and adapting to thrive on this planet. As climate change, deforestation, and urbanization continue to contribute to increased interactions between humans and animals, we can no longer look at the health of humans, animals, and the environment separately. We need to consider the broader context. Multiple stakeholders representing various disciplines, such as veterinarians, physicians, scientists, environmentalists, economists, policymakers, computer professionals, and mathematicians, must collaborate to understand, contain and prevent infectious diseases of zoonotic origin. We need to utilize all perspectives and work together to find effective solutions to global health challenges. One Health is the framework that requires this collaboration and encourages diverse viewpoints to be shared and explored to improve all health outcomes. Souvik Ghosh, BVSc & AH (Gold Medalist), MVSc, PhD (Virology), FIVS is a professor of infectious diseases, director of the One Health Center for Zoonoses and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, and course director of DVM Virology at the Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM), St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies. His One Health-based research focuses on veterinary and medical virology, novel virus discovery, molecular epidemiology, genetic diversity/evolution, and interspecies transmission of viruses. Dr. Ghosh has published 115 research and review articles in peer-reviewed international journals. He serves as the section editor of Frontiers in Microbiology, review editor of Frontiers in Veterinary Sciences, and on the editorial board of Pathogens (MDPI). Dr. Ghosh served in the WHO expert committee on Picobirnaviruses and the ICTV Picobirnaviridae study group and is a distinguished member of World Society for Virology, and fellow of the Indian Virological Society. He is a recipient of the Zoetis Award and RUSVM SAVMA award for Veterinary Research Excellence. He is a two-time CARE award recipient from RUSVM for his contributions to teaching in the veterinary profession. 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