One Health is an approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. One Health has become increasingly more important due to many factors that have changed interactions between people, animals, plants, and our environment.

• Human Populations are expanding into new geographic areas. This causes humans to live closer to wild and domestic animals including livestock and pets. Close contact with animals and their environments allows for diseases to pass between animals and people. 
• Animals play a vital role in our lives for many different reasons. These may include food, companionship, travel, sport, education, and more.
• The planet has gone through changes in climate and land use, such as deforestation and intensive farming practices. When habitats are destroyed or disrupted, animals are vulnerable to the spread of disease.
• Due to ease of travel for both humans and animals, diseases are able to be spread across the globe. 

These changes have led to the spread of existing and new zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that can spread between animals and people. 

Examples of zoonotic diseases include:

• Rabies
• Salmonella infection
• West Nile Virus Infection
• Q Fever (Coxiella Burnetii)
• Anthrax
• Brucellosis
• Lyme Disease
• Ringworm
• Ebola

• Antimicrobial-resistant germs can spread quickly through communities, food supply, healthcare facilities, and the environment. This makes it difficult to treat certain infections in animals and people. 
• Vector-borne diseases are on the rise with warmer temperatures and expanded mosquito and tick habitats.
• The bond between humans and animals can help improve mental well-being.
• People and animals can become sick if water used for drinking, recreation, and more becomes contaminated.

Even the fields of chronic disease, mental health, injury, occupational health, and noncommunicable diseases can benefit from a One Health approach. This can be done through collaboration across disciplines and sectors. These include professionals in:

• Human Health (doctors, nurses, public health practitioners, epidemiologists).
• Animal Health (veterinarians, paraprofessionals, agricultural workers). 
• Environment (ecologists, wildlife experts).

With the collaboration across all areas, the One Health approach can:

• Prevent outbreaks of zoonotic disease in animals and people.
• Improve food safety and security.
• Reduce antimicrobial-resistant infections and improve human and animal health. 
• Protect global health security.
• Protect biodiversity and conservation. 

• KDHE One Health Webpage
• CDC One Health 
• CDC One Health in Action 
• Kansas Department of Health and Environment Infectious Disease Epidemiology & Response