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Global One Health Award Winners Announced
This year’s Global One Health Award winners are recognized for their work in developing more sensitive Bartonella tests.
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has announced the winners of its 2018 Global One Health Award. The annual award is presented to an individual or organization who has promoted an aspect of One Health that is relevant to companion animals.
This year’s joint winners are Edward B. Breitschwerdt, DVM, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Christopher W. Woods, MD, professor in the departments of medicine and pathology at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
The award recognizes their work to develop more sensitive tests for the often difficult to diagnose Bartonella infection for use with humans and other species. In the process, the duo discovered new chronic disease associations, including headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, and polyarthritis that can often be confused with Lyme disease.
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For more than 30 years, Dr. Breitschwerdt’s research has emphasized vector-transmitted, intracellular pathogens. Similarly, Dr. Woods’ research has focused on the development of novel diagnostic approaches to infectious disease and the potential for interspecies transmission of pathogens. His genomic approach to harnessing the host response for diagnosis of infectious diseases has been called a paradigm shift in the field.
“The WSAVA One Health Committee is particularly excited to announce the award recipients this year and believes that having dual awardees from veterinary and human medicine epitomizes the One Health initiative,” WSAVA One Health Committee chair Mike Lappin, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, said. “Professors Breitschwerdt and Woods have worked tirelessly in this field and their work has helped countless 2- and 4-legged animals.”
Drs. Breitschwerdt and Woods will receive their award and jointly present the One Health Award lecture at the WSAVA World Congress, which takes place September 25-28 in Singapore.