Impact of the microbiome on human,animal,and environmental health from a One Health perspective

The microbiome encompasses the genomes of the microorganisms that inhabit specific environments.One Health is an emerging concept,recognised as a cohesive,harmonising approach aimed at sustainably improving the well-being of humans,animals,and the environment.The microbiome plays a crucial role in the One Health domain,facilitating interactions among humans,animals,and the environment,along with co-evolution,co-development,co-metabolism,and co-regulation with their associated humans and animals.In addition,the microbiome regulates environmental health through interactions with plant microbiota,which actively participate in substance cycling(particularly the carbon and nitrogen cycles)and influence the overall energy flow in the biosphere.Moreover,antibiotic resistance genes present in microbiota can lead to widespread drug resistance in both humans and animals.This review explores the impact of the microbiome on humans,animals,and the environment,highlighting the significance of focusing on this field in One Health research.

Towards a global One Health index: a potential assessment tool for One Health performance

Background:A One Health approach has been increasingly mainstreamed by the international community, as it provides for holistic thinking in recognizing the close links and inter-dependence of the health of humans, animals and the environment. However, the dearth of real-world evidence has hampered application of a One Health approach in shaping policies and practice. This study proposes the development of a potential evaluation tool for One Health performance, in order to contribute to the scientific measurement of One Health approach and the identification of gaps where One Health capacity building is most urgently needed.Methods:We describe five steps towards a global One Health index (GOHI), including (i) framework formulation;(ii) indicator selection;(iii) database building;(iv) weight determination;and (v) GOHI scores calculation. A cell-like framework for GOHI is proposed, which comprises an external drivers index (EDI), an intrinsic drivers index (IDI) and a core drivers index (CDI). We construct the indicator scheme for GOHI based on this framework after multiple rounds of panel discussions with our expert advisory committee. A fuzzy analytical hierarchy process is adopted to determine the weights for each of the indicators.Results:The weighted indicator scheme of GOHI comprises three first-level indicators, 13 second-level indicators, and 57 third-level indicators. According to the pilot analysis based on the data from more than 200 countries/territories the GOHI scores overall are far from ideal (the highest score of 65.0 out of a maximum score of 100), and we found considerable variations among different countries/territories (31.8–65.0). The results from the pilot analysis are consistent with the results from a literature review, which suggests that a GOHI as a potential tool for the assessment of One Health performance might be feasible.Conclusions:GOHI—subject to rigorous validation—would represent the world’s first evaluation tool that constructs the conceptual framework from a holistic perspective of One Health. Future application of GOHI might promote a common understanding of a strong One Health approach and provide reference for promoting effective measures to strengthen One Health capacity building. With further adaptations under various scenarios, GOHI, along with its technical protocols and databases, will be updated regularly to address current technical limitations, and capture new knowledge.