On Monday, March 18, 2024, the Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, hosted a public lecture titled 'Thinking about One Health' at the Juroku Plaza in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture. That event was attended by 32 people, including local citizens.

The term 'One Health' stems from the concept that 'Humans, animals and the environment are closely interconnected. All stakeholders can collaborate to address challenges in the fields of medicine and veterinary sciences using cross-sectional approaches.'

The Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences is at the forefront of promoting pioneering, cutting-edge research activities aiming at tackling global challenges in veterinary sciences, zoonosis, and combating drug-resistant bacteria. These critical areas intersect with humans, animals and the environment.

During the annual lecture, experts and scholars presented their research achievements, along with discoveries reported by research institutions at home and abroad. Subsequently, they actively engaged in discussions with the citizens. During the lecture, three invited speakers gave presentations regarding their endeavors to build a new 'One Health' platform in the central Tokai Region including Gifu Prefecture.

First, Professor OKABAYASHI Tamaki from the Center for Animal Disease Control, University of Miyazaki (Miyazaki Prefecture) delivered a speech titled 'Measures against SFTS in Miyazaki Prefecture - Growing from a Small Connection to an Extensive Network.' He discussed the current status, partnerships, and challenges posed by severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in Miyazaki Prefecture from the viewpoint of 'One Health.' SFTS is a tick-borne infection, and its signs and symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of consciousness, and hemorrhage.

Next, Dr. MATSUNAGA Nobuaki from the AMR Clinical Research Center at the National Center for Health and Medicine in Tokyo made a presentation titled 'Measures against antimicrobial-resistant bacteria - Information Sharing and Promotion of Studies on Humans, Animals and the Environment'. He emphasized the importance of appropriate antimicrobial use for both humans and animals, to prevent increase in antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and keep the efficacy of antimicrobial agents for bacterial diseases.

Lastly, Professor ITO Naoto from the Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences made a presentation titled 'Thinking about Rabies from a One Health Perspective.' He shed light on the current state and challenges of rabies prevention in Japan and abroad, emphasizing the approaches of 'One Health,' and 'One-Medicine (an integration of knowledge from medicine and veterinary sciences, with a focus on drug discovery).' He also underscored the necessity of 'One Health' in combating viral infections.

Following their speeches, the speakers and the audience engaged in lively discussions. A diverse range of questions was raised from the audience, spanning from everyday incidents to more scientific inquiries. Attendees had a valuable opportunity to interact with experts in medicine and veterinary sciences during the lecture.

Gifu University remains committed to collaborating with the local community to realize 'One Health' and create a healthy and sustainable society in the future.