Zoonoses (also known as zoonotic diseases) are diseases that can be shared between animals and people. More than half of all infections that people get are spread by animals. One Health recognizes that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and the environment. The goal of One Health is to encourage multiple disciplines and sectors to work together – locally, nationally, and globally – to achieve the best health for people and animals living in our shared environment.

Since influenza A H3N2 variant viruses (H3N2v) were first detected in people in 2011, outbreak investigations have identified illnesses, primarily in children, linked to close contact with pigs at agricultural fairs. These illnesses show a need to educate youth about zoonotic diseases and how they can spread between animals and people.

To address this need, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established a partnership with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) in 2014 to promote One Health collaborations between federal and state public health and animal health authorities and state youth agriculture groups through a program called the Influenza and Zoonoses Education among Youth in Agriculture. This innovative program educates youth about zoonotic infections, delivers prevention messages to keep people and animals safe and healthy, and strengthens One Health networks among state human and animal health departments and agricultural communities across rural America.

The primary goals of this project are to help empower millions of youth in agricultural organizations, like 4-H and FFA, about ways to enjoy animals while reducing the risk of infection and facilitate more effective and efficient response to important public health issues, such as outbreaks, by strengthening relationships among key stakeholders. As part of the program, CDC and multiple organizations, including state health departments, state departments of agriculture, 4-H programs, and other partners, work together using a One Health approach to educate youth to help protect the health of animals and people.

Resource Repository Description 

CSTE, in collaboration with the CDC and project grantees (past and current), has created a repository of educational materials and products developed out of the Influenza and Zoonoses Education among Youth in Agriculture Program. This program leverages collaborative partnerships across state health departments, state departments of agriculture, 4-H programs, and other stakeholders to develop educational tools about public health, zoonotic diseases, and youth safety around animals, operationalizing the One Health approach. This repository will serve as a resource for a wide range of partners including health departments, youth educators, community members, agritourism industry, fair directors, and the general public. Types of resources contained in this repository include:

• Activities
• Courses
  • In-person courses
  • Web-based courses
• Facilitator training
  • Train the trainer
• Presentations
• Printable Resources/Educational Materials
  • Checklist
  • Fact sheet/flyer
  • Newsletter/booklet
  • Magazine
  • Posters
• Publications
  • Abstracts
  • Manuscripts
• Social media
• Videos

Resource Repository Description 

Questions related to this resource repository can be directed to our contact form. Please note: CSTE and CDC are not seeking the data generated through use of any of these materials, nor any other confidential or restricted information. These tools have been collected by CSTE but they are not necessarily endorsed or recommended by CSTE.r