WSAVA announces 2018 Global One Health Award recipients

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has announced that a veterinarian and a physician are the joint winners of its 2018 Global One Health Award. Edward B. Breitschwerdt, DVM, from North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Christopher W. Woods, MD, from Duke University, Durham, N.C., were nominated for the award in recognition of their work on atypical manifestations of bartonellosis in people and veterinary healthcare providers in particular.

The WSAVA Global One Health Award is presented by the WSAVA's One Health Committee (OHC) to an individual or organization which has promoted an aspect of One Health relevant to companion animals. Drs. Breitschwerdt and Woods will receive their award and jointly present the One Health Award lecture during this year's WSAVA World Congress, Sept. 25-28 in Singapore.

Multiple Bartonella spp. can infect people and their pets, with cat scratch disease being the most recognized manifestation. However, Bartonella spp. are considered "stealth" pathogens and can be difficult to diagnose. Breitschwerdt and Woods have developed more sensitive Bartonella tests for use with humans and other species and have applied these tests to people, in the process discovering new chronic disease associations, including headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, and polyarthritis that can be confused with Lyme disease. Veterinarians appear to be at high risk due to contact with pets and their fleas.

"The WSAVA One Health Committee is particularly excited to announce the award recipients this year and believe that having dual awardees from veterinary and human medicine epitomizes the One Health initiative," said Mike Lappin, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, WSAVA OHC chair. "Professors Breitschwerdt and Woods have worked tirelessly in this field and their work has helped countless two- and four-legged animals."