One Health Heroes: Disease surveillance cuts at the CDC, tracking Avian Influenza and New World Screwworm

In this One Health Heroes episode, Dr. Mandy Sorensen, communications specialist for the American Association of Food Safety and Public Health Veterinarians, shares timely updates on avian influenza, New World screwworm, and an ongoing E. coli investigation, highlighting how these threats continue to evolve across species and regions. The episode then pivots to a critical issue: recent staffing cuts and paused testing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, particularly impacting rabies surveillance. Dr. Sorensen explains how these changes could delay life-saving decisions for exposed individuals and weaken the broader disease monitoring system. The conversation emphasizes that public health infrastructure, while often invisible, plays a vital role in preventing outbreaks and guiding resource allocation. 

Key Takeaways:

• Avian influenza remains active across multiple species, including new detections in dairy cattle and marine mammals.
• New World screwworm is nearing the U.S. border, primarily spreading through animal movement.
• E. coli outbreak investigations can be complex and may uncover unexpected sources.
• Rabies testing disruptions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could delay critical treatment decisions.

Pet owners and veterinary professionals, sign up for our newsletter here: https://www.yourvetwantsyoutoknow.com/newsletter

Veterinarians are invited to join the American Association of Food Safety and Public Health Veterinarians.

Help support our mission through BUY ME A COFFEE: https://buymeacoffee.com/yourvet

Our vision is for Your Vet Wants You to Know to be a resource for veterinarians to improve client communication by introducing a discussion about a common topic during the vet visit, then directing the client to a reliable source of engaging, understandable, and accessible information.  

By doing so, we strive for:
1) increased pet health literacy among pet owners,  
2) improved partnership between clients and the veterinary team,  
3) improved medical outcomes for pets, and  
4) improved quality of life and efficiency for veterinarians.  

Connect with Your Vet!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yourvetwantsyoutoknow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourvetwantsyoutoknow
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourvetwantsyoutoknow