World Zoonosis Day - Protecting humans from zoonotic diseases

Every July, the world observes World Zoonoses Day, a special day to create awareness about diseases that originate in animals and can be transmitted to humans. It is estimated that 60% of infectious diseases and up to 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans. The transmitted agents of the infection could be any bacterial, viral, or parasitic pathogen.

In the last decade, Nigeria has experienced zoonotic disease outbreaks such as the Ebola virus in 2014 and, recently, COVID-19, monkeypox, and Lassa fever, killing thousands of people in their wake.

Typically, zoonotic transmission and events spread through contact with animals. Nigeria has a bustling bushmeat trade, which makes the country susceptible to zoonotic disease outbreaks.

Africa faces a growing risk as it deals with population growth, rapid urbanization, deforestation, and the commercial bushmeat trade. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of zoonotic outbreaks, such as Ebola and monkeypox diseases, in the region from 2012 to 2022 has increased by 63% compared to the previous decade (2001 to 2011).

In the last 24 months, several infectious disease outbreaks have been recorded in Africa and across the world, including these major zoonotic disease outbreaks: COVID-19 pandemic

Anthrax

Marburg virus

Monkeypox (Mpox)

Ebola

Yellow fever

Lassa fever

The recent outbreaks of anthrax, monkeypox (now known as Mpox), and Marburg virus in some parts of Africa as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, serve as a reminder that zoonotic diseases continue to pose a significant threat to our health, economies and global security. The Nigerian government recently issued an advisory warning citizens to desist from consuming bushmeat in the immediate aftermath of the outbreak of anthrax — believed to have spread from animals — in northern Ghana.

This episode discusses World Zoonosis Day and how best to protect endangered species and avoid contact with humans, which typically leads to zoonotic events like Ebola, Monkeypox, or Lassa Fever.

This episode features Dr Stella Egbe, Species Conservation Manager - Nigeria Conservation Foundation.