Editorial—One Health Special Issue—Parasite Immunology

Abstract

The One Health paradigm is gaining currency among natural and social scientists, practicing health professionals and, increasingly, wider society. The concept essentially is that the health of humans, animals and also the environment are inextricably interlinked. It follows therefore that research that impacts on one of these components has the potential to influence all.The idea itself is not new. It was articulated simply and directly by Rudolf Virchow, MD, in the 19th century, who said "between animal and human medicine there are no dividing lines-nor should there be".1 Its early application to parasitology is exemplified by the work of William Osler, who studied lungworms of dogs, and zoonotic parasites of pigs, among other subjects.2 It was Calvin Schwabe, however, who formalized the concept by coining the term "One Medicine". The immunopathology of Anisakis infection, an important foodborne zoonosis, is reviewed by Natalie Nieuwenhuizen, 7 emphasizing the potential for abdominal pain, granuloma formation and, with repeated infection, severe systemic allergic reactions. The hazards of occupational exposure to Anisakis allergens in fish, without oral consumption, leading in some cases to dermatitis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis or asthma, are also detailed.