Selected Web Sites on Zoonoses
Zoonotic Diseases and Pets Center for Disease Control - Healthy Pets, Healthy People
http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/
This government site offers some of the best and most comprehensive information on zoonoses. The site's goal is to inform pet owners of how to enjoy their pets while also keeping themselves and the animals healthy and happy. Users may browse for information by animal or by disease. A glossary and list of additional resources is provided. Although the site is aimed at the general public, other groups are also considered. There are prevention tools for people at extra risk, those more likely to get a disease from an animal because of their age or health status. Links are provided for people with AIDS/HIV, organ transplant patients, infants and young children, and pregnant women. There is also a link with prevention tools and resources to help health professionals inform their patients and clients on zoonoses. Finally, a news section keeps users updated on the latest information and news on zoonotic diseases. Many of the other sites included in this review cite the CDC as a source of information or provide a link to one of the CDC sites.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration-Keeping Pets (and People)Healthy
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2004/104_pets.html
This government site lists the most common zoonotic diseases, their characteristics, and prevention methods. Worms, Toxoplasmosis, Salmonellosis, and Cat-Scratch Disease top the list. The site also provides statistical information on the number and type of pet owners in the United States. For additional information, the FDA refers users to the CDC website.
Google Directory-Zoonoses
http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Conditions_and_Diseases/Infectious_Diseases/Zoonoses/
Browsing through Google's directory produced some very good results including dozens of categories of zoonotic diseases and links to websites on zoonoses.
Global Zoonoses
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/csr/en/
The WHO's Department of Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response (CSR) is responsible for global health security by monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks. This site includes highlights and news of the most recent outbreaks around the world.
Pan American Health Organization
http://www.paho.org/English/ad/dpc/vp/zoonosis.htm
As a division of the WHO, the PAHO is responsible for promoting health in the Americas including the prevention of zoonotic diseases. Their website contains statistics on the spread of certain diseases along with maps showing the geographic distribution. Outbreak news is included as well as guidelines for surveillance and prevention
USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Safeguarding American Agriculture
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is the United States' first line of defense for protecting agricultural health. They protect our livestock and food supply from things like foot-and-mouth disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease) by monitoring the global movement of agriculture and regulating imports.
The American Veterinary Medical Association-Potential
zoonotic agents of bioterrorism
http://www.avma.org/reference/zoonosis/default.asp
A major issue today related to zoonoses is bioterrorism. The AVMA includes links on their homepage of potential zoonotic agents of bioterrorism including anthrax, plague, Q fever, and tularemia. Biosecurity news updates are listed, the most recent articles appearing first and going back about four years. There are also links to biosecurity resources and updates, disaster preparedness, and public health resources.
Emerging Zoonotic Diseases
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, College of Veterinary Medicine-Center for Zoonoses Research
http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/czr/
The Center for Zoonoses Research is "dedicated to research and education in infectious diseases, food safety and biodefense." In addition to information about the center, the site includes a public service link with quick facts on zoonotic diseases, including emerging diseases, and an impressive number of relevant links that are very well organized. Much of their information comes from the CDC and the WHO, probably the two best sources for zoonoses information; but this site is so useful because it organizes much of the best information that is available on the Web.
World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/
The WHO's Department of Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response (CSR) is responsible for global health security by monitoring and responding to disease outbreaks. This section of their site contains the most up-to-date information on emerging diseases.
"Links to Internet resources outside of the UT Graduate School of Medicine site are provided solely for the convenience of persons visiting the UT Graduate School of Medicine site. Provision of such hyperlinks is not an endorsement of these sites."
|
