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Zoonoses as Important Causes of Hospital Admissions: A 15-Year Study in Portugal
Miguel Canhão-Dias1,2,3, Tomás Matos Pires4, Rita Henriques5,6
1Department of Geography, University College London, London, UK.
Introduction:
Zoonoses represent 75% of emerging diseases. These diseases pose a permanent threat to human health and well-being and have the potential to become increasingly frequent due to habitat degradation; land-use changes; and increased global mobility of humans, animals, and animal products. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact ten zoonoses (brucellosis, cysticercosis, echinococcosis, leishmaniasis, leptospirosis, Lyme disease, rabies, toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis, and West Nile fever) had on human hospitalizations between 2002 and 2016 in Portuguese National Health Service hospitals.
Material And Methods:
A retrospective nationwide study was conducted using hospitalization records gathered by Administração Central do Sistema de Saúde from all Portuguese public hospitals.
Results:
Between 2002 and 2016, zoonoses caused 181,741 hospitalizations, a total number of hospitalization days of 2,033,125, and 10,611 deaths. The ten studied zoonoses caused 5,183 hospitalizations, 71,548 hospitalization days, and 176 deaths. All, except Lyme disease, showed a trend of decreasing numbers of hospitalizations.
Discussion And Conclusion:
The impact of each zoonosis in hospitalized patients regarding their age, sex, the severity of disease, and region can be attributed to the specific characteristics of each disease, regarding means of infection, pathogenicity, and geographic distribution. Hospitalizations caused by zoonoses have declined since the beginning of the century in Portugal. They still represent, however, relevant impacts on Public Health. The promotion of trans professional cooperation guided by One Health principles will further aid in the control of these important diseases.
Insights
Zoonotic diseases caused over 180,000 hospitalizations in Portugal between 2002-2016. While overall zoonoses hospitalizations decreased, understanding their impact is crucial for public health and One Health initiatives.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Zoonoses constitute 75% of emerging diseases, posing a significant and increasing threat due to environmental and societal changes.
- Global mobility and habitat alteration facilitate the spread of zoonotic pathogens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of ten specific zoonoses on human hospitalizations in Portugal from 2002 to 2016.
- To identify trends and public health significance of zoonotic diseases within the national healthcare system.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective nationwide study utilizing hospitalization records from the Portuguese National Health Service.
- Data analysis covered the period 2002–2016, focusing on hospitalizations, hospitalization days, and deaths attributed to zoonoses.
Main Results:
- Zoonoses resulted in 181,741 hospitalizations, 2,033,125 hospitalization days, and 10,611 deaths between 2002 and 2016.
- The ten studied zoonoses accounted for 5,183 hospitalizations, 71,548 hospitalization days, and 176 deaths.
- A decreasing trend in hospitalizations was observed for all studied zoonoses except Lyme disease.
Conclusions:
- Despite a decline, zoonoses continue to have a substantial impact on public health in Portugal.
- Further control of these diseases requires enhanced interprofessional collaboration guided by One Health principles.
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