Protecting life

The One Health initiative advocates for increased global collaboration between professionals in the human medicine, veterinary medicine and environmental field, in support of an overall and preventive approach to health. The principle is not limited to zoonotic diseases; rather it encompasses all diseases that impact public health and food safety.

As part of the WSAVA (World small animal veterinary association) One Health committee, Virbac assists with the development of standardized directives, information and educational resources in support of companion animal veterinarians throughout the world. This committee ensures that the human-animal interface is taken into account in the One Health overall program through actions such as the organization of a symposium on obesity in humans and companion animals or the writing of scientific publications on zoonotic diseases.
Virbac is also a partner of the ABCD (European advisory board on cat diseases). This group of European experts in immunology, vaccinology, diagnostics and feline clinical medicine publishes recommendations based on the latest scientific knowledge and experience that make reference to the scientific community and veterinary practitioners. A way for Virbac to contribute to the promotion of prevention and good management practices of major feline infectious diseases in Europe.

Leishmaniosis, leptospirosis, rabies... Virbac is developing a general approach to animal-to-human disease transmission, which combines research, diagnostic solutions, prevention tools, drug treatment and training programs. An example? Leishmaniosis, a fatal disease present in several regions of the globe that affects 2.5 million dogs in Europe alone. For 20 years now, Virbac has been involved globally in learning more about and fighting the disease. Virbac assists with publishing recommendations and scientific publications related to leishmaniosis, in addition to disseminating knowledge about the disease, as it did at the last global WorldLeish convention, by bringing together international experts on human and canine leishmaniosis for an informational workshop intended for doctors and veterinarians. Virbac has also developed prevention, diagnostic and treatment tools in addressing canine leishmaniosis and provided, as early as 2011, the first vaccine licensed for sale in Europe and in 2017, the first registered drug in Brazil for treating dogs.

At a time when reasoned protocols for antibiotic use in veterinary medicine are being developed, Virbac is doing its part to deal with the global issue of antibiotic resistance. In the companion animal industry, Virbac’s desire is to provide first-line broad-spectrum molecules. And the company ou Virbac provides alternative methods to antibiotic use, such as disinfectant shampoos for maintaining the skin’s microbial balance. In the large animal industry, Virbac strives to promote the use of individual antibiotic treatments, associated with diagnostic testing, in order to nurture and facilitate functional recovery. Meanwhile, Virbac is pushing for the implementation of preventive protocols. Thus, vaccination and micronutrition have a major role to play in this responsible use of antibiotics. For instance, vaccinating cows a few weeks prior to calving helps protect their little one against neonatal diarrhea, which remains the main cause of death in calves. Other example: micronutrient-based micronutrition administered at key moments enhances management of oxidative stress and helps improve disease resistance and reproduction efficiency.

As part of its mission to increase public awareness of animal health, since 2015 the Virbac Foundation has been supporting a One Health program in Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe. Action on the ground that combines conservation and wildlife health with the socio-economic development of local communities.