Abstract Description

Zoonotic diseases significantly impact human and animal health, particularly in agro-ecosystems like those in South Africa. This talk outlines a conceptual One Health approach for enhancing surveillance of zoonotic infectious diseases at the human-livestock interface. Our proposed sampling regime includes human hand swabs, cow dung, wastewater, drinking water from animal troughs, and aerosol samples, aiming to capture pathogen transmission dynamics. Understanding these dynamics can inform targeted interventions to reduce zoonotic disease risks, ultimately improving public health outcomes and livestock productivity. Given the potential for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) emergence in these settings, insights from this work could also guide strategies to mitigate AMR dissemination at the human-animal-environment nexus. We discuss anticipated challenges in cross-sector collaboration and identify gaps needing research attention. By sharing this emerging work, we aim to spark discussion and foster collaborations to strengthen One Health surveillance strategies.