Zemanay W, Eltholth M, Brink A, Mkrtchyan H V
National Health Laboratory Services, Division of Medical Microbiology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Department of Health Studies, Royal Holloway University of London, London, UK.
Discov Sustain. 2025;6(1):763. doi: 10.1007/s43621-025-01725-5. Epub 2025 Aug 6.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and zoonotic diseases are global public health threats with serious implications for human, animal, and environmental health. In South Africa, AMR and zoonotic disease outbreaks pose significant threats to public health and food security. Despite a robust AMR surveillance system for human health, the absence of a national routine surveillance program for livestock hinders a comprehensive One Health (OH) approach. The 2024 UK-South Africa workshop in Cape Town convened key stakeholders from human and animal health, environmental sciences, and food production to address these challenges. Discussions focused on integrating OH surveillance, leveraging Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) for early outbreak detection, and improving food and water safety. Workshop outcomes emphasized the necessity of cross-sector collaboration to enhance AMR monitoring and outbreak preparedness. Stakeholder engagement, particularly within agricultural communities, was identified as critical for OH implementation. Participants highlighted the need for culturally sensitive engagement strategies, qualitative research methods, and policy reforms to drive adoption. Lessons from tuberculosis (TB) and HIV programs informed strategies for fostering compliance and integrating OH principles into veterinary education, particularly in antimicrobial stewardship. Challenges such as resource limitations, bioinformatics capacity gaps, and resistance to new technologies were addressed through recommendations for joint consortia, leveraging existing infrastructure, and targeted training. Aligning OH initiatives with consumer-driven concerns, such as water quality monitoring, was also identified as a key opportunity. Moving forward, translating research into action will require sustained collaboration, policy alignment, and community engagement. Strengthening OH surveillance can enhance South Africa's ability to prevent and control infectious diseases, ensuring long-term public health resilience and food security.
抗菌药物耐药性（AMR）和人畜共患病是全球公共卫生威胁，对人类、动物和环境健康具有严重影响。在南非，AMR和人畜共患病疫情对公共卫生和粮食安全构成重大威胁。尽管有一个针对人类健康的强大AMR监测系统，但缺乏针对牲畜的国家常规监测计划阻碍了全面的“同一健康”（OH）方法。2024年在开普敦举行的英-南研讨会召集了来自人类和动物健康、环境科学及食品生产领域的关键利益相关者，以应对这些挑战。讨论重点是整合OH监测、利用下一代测序（NGS）进行早期疫情检测以及改善食品和饮用水安全。研讨会成果强调了跨部门合作对于加强AMR监测和疫情防范的必要性。利益相关者的参与，特别是在农业社区内的参与，被确定为OH实施的关键。与会者强调需要采用具有文化敏感性的参与策略、定性研究方法和政策改革来推动采用。结核病（TB）和艾滋病毒项目的经验为促进合规以及将OH原则纳入兽医教育，特别是抗菌药物管理方面的策略提供了借鉴。通过关于联合财团、利用现有基础设施和针对性培训的建议，解决了资源限制、生物信息学能力差距和对新技术的抵触等挑战。将OH倡议与消费者驱动的关注事项（如水质量监测）保持一致也被确定为一个关键机遇。展望未来，将研究转化为行动需要持续的合作、政策协调和社区参与。加强OH监测可以提高南非预防和控制传染病的能力，确保长期的公共卫生恢复力和粮食安全。
