Confronting Disease X with the One Health Approach

To prepare to fight a potential future pandemic, experts globally are rallying behind the One Health approach, which emphasizes bridging institutional gaps and prioritizing strategies to combat emerging pathogens.

The World Health Organization (WHO) coined the term “Disease X” in 2018 to underscore the critical need to address gaps in the understanding of epidemic and pandemic-prone diseases. Despite identifying 25 virus families, each harboring thousands of unique viruses, there remains a vast array of undiscovered ones. This uncertainty deepens the urgency, as experts grapple with the potential manifestations of Disease X, be it a virus, bacterium, fungus or an entirely distinct entity.

Health expert Dame Kate Bingham suggests that Disease X might already be replicating globally, ready to strike anytime. To counter this threat, she advocates for accelerating vaccine research, reinforcing global collaboration and developing comprehensive strategies to curb the transmission of such a highly contagious pathogen. She envisions a scenario where Disease X spreads as easily as measles but carries a fatality rate akin to Ebola (67%). .

Furthermore, preventive measures such as stringent international guidelines, rigorous airport screenings, widespread testing, enhanced surveillance and aggressive contact tracing are pivotal. These measures, embedded within a One Health framework, serve as the cornerstone of preparation against this potential global health catastrophe.

In Mexico, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is highlighting the critical significance of the One Health approach. This strategy focuses on shaping policies that elevate health and safety standards in agricultural and livestock markets, emphasizing collaboration between government entities, private sectors and academic institutions. Experts from diverse fields, including academia, industry and international organizations, underscore the importance of addressing zoonotic diseases and fortifying food safety measures. These strategies aim to facilitate fighting against diseases with zoonotic potential and implementing effective sanitary measures, reflecting a unified effort to safeguard public health.