Leveraging one health as a sentinel approach for pandemic resilience

The resurgence of H5N1 avian influenza highlights the urgent need for robust surveillance systems to detect zoonotic risks before they evolve into human-to-human transmission. The One Health approach—integrating human, animal, and environmental health—offers a comprehensive framework for addressing these challenges. H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, has caused significant mortality in avian populations and poses a serious threat to human health. While human cases are rare, alarming outbreaks in mammals, such as elephant seals with up to 96% mortality, emphasize the importance of early detection in animal populations. Traditional surveillance methods, which often focus solely on human cases, are reactive and may be too late to prevent widespread transmission. One Health enhances early warning systems by monitoring wildlife, livestock, and environmental samples, identifying viral spillover events at their source, and enabling timely interventions to contain the virus before it reaches human populations.