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By Sally Crocker

 
UNTHSC students, faculty and staff are invited to the 2^nd Annual Zoonotic Disease Fair from noon to 3 p.m. on Nov. 21 to learn about some of the common diseases found in Texas that can be passed from animals to humans.

“It pays to be aware,” said public health student Emily Blankenship, who is helping to organize the event with fellow Environmental and Occupational Health classmates.

“Typhus, once considered almost eradicated in the U.S., is back on the rise in Texas. This potentially fatal disease transmitted by fleas joins the growing list of tropical infections impacting the state,” Blankenship said. “In August, a Texas dairy issued recalls on raw milk found to contain drug-resistant Brucella bacteria. And Listeria outbreaks in Texas food production have made news over the last several years. With climate change, we also expect to see more and different zoonotic disease threats moving in.”

The theme of the event is “In Our Backyard,” featuring games, food, prizes and brief presentations by speakers from the Tarrant County Public Health Department and UNTHSC School of Public Health.

Assistant Professor Katherine Fogelberg, DVM, PhD, will speak from noon to 12:20 p.m. on One Health, a global initiative recognizing the interconnectedness of the health of people, animals and the environment. One Health promotes an interdisciplinary approach to population health among veterinarians, physicians, public health officials and other health professions.

From 12:20 to 12:40 p.m., Dr. Vinny Taneja, Director, Tarrant County Public Health, will talk about re-emerging diseases from developing countries.

Russell W. Jones, MPH, Tarrant County Public Health Chief Epidemiologist, will speak on brucellosis exposure in hospitals from 12:40 to 1 p.m.

Come-and-go games and activities are scheduled from 1 to 3 p.m.

The event will be held in MET 109-111.

For more information, contact Emily Blankenship at eb0219@my.unthsc.edu or 817-901-4040.

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