Anthrax is a notorious disease of public health importance caused by Bacillus anthracis. The causative agent can also be used as a biological weapon. Spores of these bacteria can sustain extreme environmental conditions and remain viable in soil for decades. Domestic and wild ruminants are highly susceptible to this pathogen, which usually presents as a peracute to acute disease. In humans, cutaneous anthrax is frequent but pulmonary and enteric anthrax are more serious. Humans, animals, and the environment are all involved, making anthrax a perfect target for a One Health approach. The environment plays a key role in disease transmission. At a time when the One Health concept is not mere slogans, collaborative efforts of medical professionals, veterinarians, and environmental scientists will be valuable for the prevention and control of this disease. In this review, we discussed the transmission dynamics of anthrax in the environment, animals, and humans, as well as One Health strategies to control and prevent anthrax.

The abuse and misuse of antibiotics is one of the main drivers of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Globally, AMR in food-producing animals is a significant public health concern. This study, therefore, assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to antibiotic usage (AMU) and AMR among poultry farmers in Nepal. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 605 poultry farmers from six districts of Nepal from May to June 2022 to assess the status of knowledge, attitude, as well as practices toward prudent antibiotic usage (AMU) and AMR. The majority of the participants in our study were from the Chitwan district (31.6%; n = 191/605), aged 30–44 (54.2%; n = 328/605), males (70.4%; n = 426/605), and farmers with a higher secondary (28.76%; n = 174/605) level of education. The tetracyclines (28%, n = 228/828), aminoglycosides (23%, n = 188/828), and fluoroquinolones (15%, n = 126/828) were the most used antibiotics classes among poultry farmers. Although 87.8% (n = 531/605) of poultry farmers used antibiotics, 49.8% (n = 301/605) of them were aware of AMR, and 55.7% (n = 337/605) knew that the misuse of antimicrobials could affect human and environmental health. There were significant differences in the knowledge, attitude, and practices toward prudent AMU and AMR among farmers who reared different birds. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice score of the respondents were 7.81 ± 3.26, 5.8 ± 2.32, and 7.59 ± 3.38 when measured on a scale of 12, 10, and 15, respectively. Based on a cut-off of 75% of the maximum score, 49.4% (n = 299/605), 62.8% (n = 380/605), and 12.73% (n = 77/605) of the respondents had good knowledge, attitude, and practices toward prudent AMU and AMR, respectively. The multivariable logistic regression analyses revealed that the positive predictors of good knowledge and attitude were male gender, higher level of education, district, and the types of birds (layers). Similarly, those of the male gender (OR: 3.36; 95% CI: 1.38–8.20; p = 0.008) and those that rear layers (OR: 4.63; 95% CI: 1.75–12.25; p = 0.003) were more likely to practice prudent usage of antimicrobials. The findings of this study show poor practice toward prudent antibiotic usage despite good knowledge of AMR. This study provides essential baseline data on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of poultry farmers in Nepal and offers valuable insights that could help in the design of interventions and policies aimed at addressing illicit AMU and AMR in poultry in Nepal.

The transmission of zoonotic diseases through animal-derived food products poses a significant global public health challenge, with contaminated milk and meat serving as major transmission pathways. In Nepal, the growing consumption of these products has amplified the risk of foodborne illnesses, largely due to widespread bacterial contamination. This review systematically explores the prevalence, distribution, and public health significance of key bacterial pathogens- including Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Brucella, Bacillus cereus, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Campylobacter in Nepalese milk and meat products. The analysis identifies major contributing factors: inadequate hygiene and sanitation practices, weak regulatory frameworks, insufficient infrastructure, excessive antibiotic usage, and limited public awareness. The high levels of bacterial contamination, coupled with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains, underscore the urgency for strategic interventions. Recommended measures include strict enforcement of hygiene and sanitation standards, strengthening regulatory policies, enhancing infrastructure, comprehensive public education campaigns, and prudent antibiotic stewardship. Implementation of these strategies is imperative to improve food safety, protect public health, and mitigate the risks posed by bacterial zoonotic diseases in Nepal.

Atlantic salmon aquaculture companies in British Columbia (BC) must report fish health events to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) as part of their licensing conditions. Our study aimed to summarize these fish health events reported by Atlantic salmon sites in BC to identify spatial and spatio‐temporal clusters. We conducted descriptive, retrospective global, and local cluster analyses using Moran's I and scan statistics. Between 2016 and 2022, 265 fish health events were reported. The annual incidence ranged from 5.60 (95% CI: 3.90–7.80) to 6.86 (95% CI: 4.70–9.60) health events per 100 active site‐months. The most common events were yellow mouth (60.75%; 161/265) and salmonid rickettsial septicaemia (SRS) (15.47%; 41/265). The Moran's I index was positive and significant for yellow mouth, SRS, and overall fish health events at different distance bands. Most of the spatial and spatio‐temporal clusters were identified in the west‐central and southwestern parts of Vancouver Island. Our study hypothesizes that management practices, environmental conditions, and water quality parameters may have influenced the increased reporting of fish health events in these regions. Overall, the study highlights the potential of publicly available data for practical risk mapping in understanding the patterns of farmed Atlantic salmon diseases in BC.

Nepal has an agrarian-based economy where the livestock sector contributes about 12 percent to the national GDP. Rupandehi district is one of the largest dairy pocket areas in the nation, but the disease, such as leptospirosis, posed a negative impact on their production and productivity. Despite the economic importance of cattle leptospirosis, the disease is concerned for the people’s occupational risk and food safety. Although leptospirosis is a priority zoonosis in Nepal, the effective implementation of the control program lacks both in animal and human health. A cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence and identify associated risk factors of cattle leptospirosis from March 2019 to April 2020. Altogether, 206 cattle herds located in all the sixteen local levels of the district were visited. The owners were interviewed to record the cattle management system’s information and their knowledge of the zoonotic diseases. A total of 383 cattle serum samples were collected, and an indirect antibody ELISA was performed to estimate the infection status of leptospirosis in the cattle herds. All the data were analyzed by Open epi and R software for the descriptive and analytical study. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was applied to assess the potential herd level and animal level risk factors. Out of seven potential herd-level risk factors, the purchased cattle herds (OR: 7.2, 95% CI: 1.24-136.5, p=0.025) and cattle with herd size >10 (OR: 14.92, 95% CI: 2.61-283.38, p=0.025) were identified as significant risk factors for leptospirosis. At the animal level, the cattle taken for grazing in pastureland accessed by the community dog was a significant risk factor (OR: 4.16, 95% CI: 1.13-14.06, p=0.034). Surprisingly, none of the farmers had heard about leptospirosis before. The outcome of this research could be an epidemiological insight in control of priority zoonosis to protect the livestock economy and reduce their negative impact on public health.