A Massey University team has developed new ways of predicting disease-hot spots, created by humans changing the environment, to help identify where and how society can mitigate the risk of infectious disease emergence, such as Ebola Virus Disease in Africa. The paper, Habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss and the risk of novel infectious disease emergence, details the…

Our Spring 2018 newsletter features the latest information about the 4th One Health Aotearoa Symposium, reports on the inaugural Oceania Planetary Health Forum held recently in Fiji and reflects on what we have learnt from the 1918 influenza pandemic 100 years on. View the One Health Aotearoa Spring 2018 newsletter.

Associate Professor Peter Fineran, a molecular microbiologist at the University of Otago, has been awarded the United Kingdom Microbiology Society’s 2019 Fleming Prize. The prize is awarded to an early career researcher who has achieved an outstanding research record and is named after Nobel Prize winning scientist, Sir Alexander Fleming. Dr Fineran, Department of Microbiology…

The ESR-led international SHIVERS project, which has contributed a raft of new insights into influenza and vaccine effectiveness, has won the team award in this year’s Science New Zealand Awards, announced last last. The Southern Hemisphere Influenza and Vaccine Effectiveness Research and Surveillance project resulted from a successful NZ$9 million application to the US department…

The programme for the 2019 Public Health Summer School at the University of Otago, Wellington campus has been released. There are 30 short courses on offer from 11 February-1 March, including 16 new ones. Courses include: Introduction to health economics; Planetary health: values, law and governance; and Update on Rheumatic Fever prevention and control. Learn…

Members of One Health Aotearoa have featured in Radio New Zealand’s Insight documentary series on 4 November 2018. The documentary entitled, The next pandemic – are we ready? includes insights into the 1918 pandemic which killed 9000 New Zealanders, and discusses our preparedness for another pandemic with Professor Michael Baker from the University of Otago,…

There’s just over five weeks until the 4th One Health Aotearoa Symposium in Wellington on 12-13 December. Our Symposium Organising Committee have prepared a fantastic two-day programme to stimulate discussion and foster collaboration among infectious diseases scientists and professionals across the fields of animal, environmental and human health. 4th One Health Aotearoa preliminary programme Sessions at…

One Health Aotearoa researcher Associate Professor Patricia Priest discussed the ‘One Health’ concept at the Otago Spotlight on Infectious Disease in Wellington last month. Associate Professor Priest is based in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine at the University of Otago.   Other One Health Aotearoa members also presented at the Spotlight including Dr…

In a world first, international scientists including a University of Otago researcher, have used whole genome sequencing to help diagnose a plant pathogen destroying crops on African farms, potentially paving the way for preventing crop failures, vital to the African economy. Dr Jo-Ann Stanton, a Senior Research Fellow in the University of Otago’s Department of…

ESR scientists say gardeners should be aware of the risks posed by potting mix and compost, as the numbers of cases of legionella bacterial infection begins to rise. Legionella can cause a range of symptoms, including severe pneumonia (Legionnaires’ Disease). ESR, which manages public health surveillance for the Ministry of Health, has already noted a seasonal…