Second in a three-year series in which Virginia-Maryland Veterinary College, Medical College of Virginia explore linkages of human and veterinary medicine
BLACKSBURG, VA, July 19, 2000 -- The many virtues of the "human-animal bond" are readily apparent. But close relationships between people and companion animals can present some hazards too, chiefly in the form of parasitic and infectious diseases that can be spread by animals to people.
These zoonotic diseases and the risks they present will be explored by experts during a symposium entitled "Educating Physicians and Veterinarians on the Risks of Animal Interactions to Human Health and Well-being" hosted by the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM) on Friday, September 22, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will be held at the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.
The event is the second in a series of three annual symposiums hosted by the veterinary college to explore the linkages between human and veterinary medicine. Entitled "The Bridge Between Veterinary Medicine and Human Health," the series was created to generate increased professional and public awareness of the therapeutic aspects of human-animal interaction, human threats posed by human-animal interaction, and public health and food safety issues related to human-animal interaction.
"Physicians and veterinarians recognize the benefits of animal companionship and both are concerned with zoonotic disease threats, food safety issues, biomedical research and the complex interdependencies between people and animals," says VMRCVM Dean Peter Eyre, "Through these symposia, we hope to create a forum in which these areas of mutual interest can be examined from a more integrated perspective."
During opening remarks, Eyre will update the group on the status of a joint academic center which is being established between the VMRCVM and Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University (MCV-VCU) to examine animal-human relationships from a more systemic perspective. Marie Suthers McCabe, associate professor and extension specialist human-companion animal interaction is leading that effort.
Ten speakers from around the country will then make presentations on different aspects of the symposium topic. Jorge Guerrero, DVM, PhD, executive director of veterinary professional services at Merial, Inc., will present "One Medicine," and Jeannie Perron, JD, DVM, an associate at the law firm of Covington and Burling in Washington, D.C., will present "Liability Issues and Problem Solving for the Veterinarian and the Physician."
Also, Peter Schantz, VMD, PhD, of the National Center for Infectious Diseases in Atlanta, will present "Zoonotic Risks of Intestinal Parasites of Dogs and Cats and Strategies for Preventing Them," and Leonard Marcus, VMD, MD, consultant in tropical, zoonotic and vector-borne diseases for Travelers' Health and Immunization Services, will present a session on "Bite Associated Zoonosis."
During afternoon sessions, Phyllis Cassano, DVM, MA of Merial, Inc. will discuss "Zoonotic Diseases in the 21st Century and Immunocompromised Patients," Rochelle Klinger, MD, PhD, director of the medical psychiatry program at MCV-VCU, will present "The Role of Companion Animals in the Psychological Health of People with HIV/AIDS," and Mark Haines, DVM, MS, animal program director of the Clinical Center at National Institutes of Health, will present "Animals in the NIH Clinical Center: Service, Therapy & Risk of Zoonosis." Also, Kevin Connelly, DO, FAAP, FACOP, Director of the Paws for Health Pet Visitation Program at MCV-VCU, will present "Children, Pets, and Pests: The Realities and Myths of Zoonotic Diseases." Finally, Marie Suthers-McCabe, DVM, associate professor of Human-Companion Animal Interaction and Director of the emerging Center for Animal Human Relationships will challenge veterinary and medical students to more fully explore this emerging discipline in the years ahead during her closing presentation.
The three year series concludes in September 2001 with a seminar entitled "Educating Physicians about their Joint Responsibilities in Public Health and Food Safety." Topics scheduled for examination during that event include microbiological and chemical safety of foods of animal origin, antimicrobial drug resistance and others. The first in the series, which featured a presentation by Michael Blackwell, assistant surgeon general of the United States, was held in Fall 1999 and focused on "Beneficial Effects of Animal Companionship on Human Health & Well-Being."
While most people think of veterinary and human medicine as distinct professions, they share a common history. The earliest known medical writings, the Kahun Papyrus, circa 1800 B.C. Egypt, described two cattle diseases, one dog disease, and an obstetrical procedure. At the time of its destruction in the fourth century A.D., the 70 volumes of the "Corpus Hippocraticum" in the Great Library of Alexandria, viewed by some as the first medical school, contained extensive information on both human and animal health.
Over the centuries, human and veterinary medicine became more specialized and evolved independently. But today, the compelling inter-relationships which bind them together are significant enough to warrant academic exploration, Eyre said. Each promotes the public health and works to contain the threats of infectious disease. Each is involved with the human health implications of an animal protein-based food supply, and each is concerned with the physical and psycho-social benefits of the human-animal bond.
The series is sponsored by the VMRCVM, MCV-VCU, and the Virginia and the Maryland Veterinary Medical Associations. Corporate sponsorship is being provided by Hill's Pet Products and Merial, Inc.
A luncheon will be held in Virginia Tech's Owen's Dining Hall, and tours of the college's Veterinary Teaching Hospital will be offered after the event. Registration is $60. For more information, contact Dr. Marie Suthers-McCabe at 540-231-7133.
PR CONTACT: Jeffrey S. Douglas 540-231-7911 jdouglas@vt.edu
Conference Contact: Dr. Marie Suthers-McCabe at 540-231-7133