If reports are to be believed, 75% of emerging illnesses in human beings originate from animals. It includes bird and swine flu diseases. These are commonly known as “zoonoses”. HIV/AIDS, transmitted by African chimpanzees and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS has also emerged from bats.

Research has revealed that even malaria appears to be a zoonotic disease. It has been confirmed that malaria emerged from chimpanzees but was transferred to human beings during the last 2 to 3 million years.

This has still not improved our response to these problems, according to reports. These cases are not being investigated properly. Despite warnings that zoonotic diseases are increasing rapidly and their outbreaks are getting more frequent, there is still no effective surveillance system to oversee them.

A better response mechanism is needed to counter these problems, according to leading health experts. Swine flu alone has lead to the loss of 17,000 lives during the last one year, while AIDS has lead to more than 25 million deaths since 1981. The economic cost of these deaths is more than $200 billion.

When a pathologist had raised concerns in 1999 at a Bronx Zoo hinting of a possible link between sick birds and human beings, she did not get a suitable answer. But experts point out that animal health can have an impact on human health also.

Experts feel that if future outbreaks of these diseases have to be controlled, a better understanding and co-ordination is needed between various branches of medical sciences.