One Health

2021, Iwan Smit

This work of art refers to the statue The Good Samaritan in the garden of the Erasmus MC on Westzeedijk. In this biblical story, a Samaritan, then a discriminated minority group, comes to the aid of a victim of violence. The message: Love your neighbor as yourself. Smit turns the victim into a bird. A new infectious disease such as Covid-19 can arise if a virus passes from animals to humans. This is called zoonosis. Virologists from Erasmus MC investigate viruses in animals to map out the risks. In addition, they look at how we deal with animals in the wild and in agriculture. The study of the relationship between humans and nature to prevent disease is called One Health. "Love your neighbor" also applies to animals. The choice of a balloon fits in with De Passage of the Erasmus MC, where flowers, cuddly toys and balloons are for sale.

SCIENCE

One Health
A zoonosis is an infectious disease that develops when a virus or bacterium passes from animals to humans. This can happen with intensive contact between humans and animals, such as eating wild animals or keeping livestock. It becomes dangerous if the disease is also contagious between people. That is the case with Covid-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). A disease that affects a large number of people is called an epidemic. For this, the virus must be so contagious that one infected person infects several new people (R-zero factor). If the disease goes global, it's called a pandemic.

Scientists are researching viruses in the animal kingdom to see which viruses can cause disease in humans. To do this, they examine the genetic material of viruses and see how easily the virus spreads. The results of the research can be used to develop tests, vaccines and measures such as mouth masks and social distancing.