In depth
A hyperconnected health With globalisation and climate change, the One Health concept wants to find a comprehensive approach to health, which includes human health, animal health and the health of the planet itself.
by Dr. Yolanda Meije, Head of the Internal Medicine Service and the Unit of Infectious Diseases at the Hospital de Barcelona. With a doctorate in Medicine and Surgery and a Master in Infectious Diseases. She was employed as a researcher at the Boston General Hospital (USA). She has also worked at the Hospital 12 de Octubre, the Hospital Ramón y Cajal and the Hospital Vall d’Hebron.
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here is a theory that if a butterfly flaps its wings on one side of the world, it could end up causing an earthquake on the other. This theory, involving endless coincidences, could simultaneously show us a surprising level of connection. On the other hand, it is a fact that in recent years we have normalised diseases such as Ebola, Zika, Covid or Monkey pox; and that we have been passive observers to the appearance of new infections that reach us from anywhere in the world in record time. A situation without precedents in history, but that we have accepted with resignation and composure. Could it be true that today we are living in a world that is much more connected than we might believe at first sight? Or does what happens in one part of the world have immediate consequences on the other part? A zoonotic disease is the name we give to the diseases transmitted from animals to humans, either directly or indirectly, through vectors such as arthropods. Covid-19 was one of these zoonotic diseases with all its inherent repercussions, along with the morbidity and mortality it caused. It is estimated that over 75% of new infections will also be zoonotic diseases. Moreover, there are up to 1.7 million viruses that could leap to the human species over the next few years. The fact is that we do not know the name of the next virus that could appear, nor do we want to know it, but we do know that it is our responsibility as human beings to look after the planet on which we live. The protection and love of nature that come naturally to indigenous peoples are not only compulsory