One Border One Health: Sponsors: Addressing Disease Emergence Through Binational One Health Strategies Join the Effort! K. Ferran1, S. Marikos1, E. Iniguez-Stevens1, N. Gurfield2, D. Cruz3, F. Monge Navarro4, R. Villa-Angulo5, N. Castillo Martinez6 Call: (619) 688-3187 1 Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance Program, California Office of Binational Border Health, 2San Diego County Department of Environmental Health, 3Naval Medical Center San Diego, 4Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Veterinary School, 5Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Bioinformatics, 6Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Center for Health Sciences Email: [email protected] Visit: www.oneborderonehealth.com Background The California – Baja California border region encompasses a wide range of ecosystems, topography, dense urban areas, and agricultural developments that coexist in a limited geographic area and create numerous human-animalenvironmental interfaces. The region is recognized for its high biodiversity, the presence of over 85 listed endangered plant and animal species, its importance on the Pacific migratory pathway, high levels of population mobility, and is home to the busiest international border in the world. These interfaces pose a significant risk to animal, human, and environmental health, as evidenced by frequent wildlife die offs, antibiotic resistant bacteria in streams, beach closures due to fecal contamination, pesticide toxicities, zoonotic infectious disease outbreaks, and vector borne diseases. Recognizing the health risks posed by these complex interfaces, the Early Warning Infectious Disease Surveillance Program (EWIDS) convened the One Border One Health (OBOH) Symposium in June 2011, bringing together U.S. and Mexican experts to establish a sustainable early warning system for emerging pathogens via a regional integrated human-animal-environmental surveillance system. Our Mission One Border One Health is a binational multidisciplinary cooperative building more resilient and healthy border communities by identifying, responding, and creating sustainable solutions to health risks at the human-animal-environmental interface. Other 15% Who We Are OBOH is a network of over 100 professionals and students from 50 organizations representing animal, human and environmental health from government, academia, non-profit, private and military sectors. The overarching goals of the 3 established workgroups are: Student 11% Epidemiologist 15% Clinician 7% Scientist 11% Veterinarian 30% Naturalist 4% EH Specialist 7% Figure 2. Partner Profile 1. Surveillance: Enhance surveillance for emerging & re-emerging pathogens using the One Health concept. 2. Training & Outreach: Raise community awareness and integrate the One Health approach in education and training. 3. Informatics: Improve information exchange and develop mechanisms and models for data collection and exchange among One Health stakeholders. Highlighted Projects Surveillance Workgroup 1) Customization of a web-based platform to enhance public and professional reporting of wildlife health events and environmental conditions; 2) Prioritize pathogens to identify zoonotic infectious diseases for use in a One Health crossborder integrated surveillance system; and 3) A “proof of concept” project to validate a One Health approach to external stakeholders. Informatics Workgroup 1) Create moderated forums for reporting emerging disease risks; 2) Develop a multi-sectoral-relational database and mathematical model that can simulate pathogen spread in the border region and assist in the design of binational strategies for controlling the spread of infection. Training & Outreach Workgroup 1) Increase visibility for the OBOH initiative via social media, scientific publications, and conferences; 2) Foster regional academic interest in One Health curriculum development and stimulate student participation in One Health meetings and activities; and 3) Engage community educators, local businesses, policy makers, and volunteer groups in OBOH outreach efforts. Figure 1. California – Baja California Border Region Outcomes Planning Committee 1)Delivered multiple One Border One Health presentations at local and national venues. 2)Hosted 4 formal One Border One Health events (as of July 2012), and numerous informal meetings with OBOH network partners. 3)Highlighted One Health best practices. Surveillance Workgroup 1)Identified experts and appropriate tool for prioritization project. 2)“Proof of concept” proposal drafted and in review. Informatics Workgroup 1)Instituted a web-based platform to facilitate communication, organization and data exchange among OBOH partners. Training & Outreach Workgroup 1)Translated the One Health Initiative’s “Practicing One Health for the Human Health Clinician” into Spanish for distribution to partners. 2)Submitted grant proposal for training and outreach funding. Challenges • Identifying funding sources for cross-sectoral/multi-disciplinary projects. • Promoting data exchange. • Identifying and involving partners from different sectors. Planning Committee Surveillance Co-chairs Francisco Javier Monge Navarro, DVM, MPH, PhD Researcher Diagnostics Department, Veterinary School Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Karen Ferran, PhD, MSPH Program Manager/Chief Epidemiologist, EWIDS Sarah Marikos, MPH Epidemiologist Analyst, EWIDS Karen Ferran, PhD, MSPH Program Manager/Chief Epidemiologist EWIDS Esmeralda Iniguez-Stevens, PhD, MPH Regional Epidemiologist, EWIDS Kirsten Barstad-Mulvey, BA Associate Director, Institute for Public Health Informatics Co-chairs Training & Outreach Co-chairs Nikos Gurfield, DVM, DACVP San Diego County Veterinarian Dept. of Environmental Health Vector Disease and Diagnostic Laboratory LTJG David Cruz Environmental Health Division Officer Preventive Medicine Naval Medical Center San Diego Rafael Villa-Angulo, PhD Bioinformatics Coordinator Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Mexicali) MSP Nydia Alejandra Castillo Martinez Center for Health Sciences Universidad Autónoma de Baja California A California – Baja California Regional Network