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ICMR spearheads efforts to track diseases spreading from animals to humans with real-time surveillance

The study under PM-ABHIM assumes significance as India has limited data on zoonotic diseases such as Nipah infection, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Zika infection, Covid, avian influenza, dengue, and chikungunya.

Van Bhavan, diseases spreading from animals to humans, pune news, indian express

An awareness workshop on the surveillance model for detecting zoonotic diseases was held at Van Bhavan in Pune. (Source: Express Photo)

Researchers from various institutions across the country are collaborating on a new study to identify zoonotic spillover in environments where bird-human interactions are increasing. They said due to the limited data on zoonotic infections in the country, they are making an effort to develop a real-time surveillance model for detecting emerging pathogens that transmit diseases from animals to humans.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM)’s National One Health Mission has undertaken the study. National Institute of Virology, Pune; Ela Foundation; National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, Bhopal; Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial Hospital, Gangtok; Pune forest department, Bombay Natural History Society, are also part of this initiative.

During the first of a series of sensitisation and awareness workshops held at Van Bhavan in Pune on January 21, experts stated that 60 per cent of emerging infections are expected to be of zoonotic origin, which is becoming an increasing public health concern worldwide. Examples of zoonotic diseases include the Nipah infection, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, Zika infection, Covid, avian influenza, dengue, and chikungunya.

The researchers said they are using the ‘One Health’ approach, described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimise the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

N R Praveen, chief conservator of forests, Pune circle, told The Indian Express that the study’s primary aim is to set up a model surveillance system for zoonotic diseases among bird sanctuary workers and residents in the close vicinity of wetlands.

“We want to improve the awareness among bird sanctuary workers regarding the prevention of zoonotic diseases,” Praveen said.

Three tigers and one leopard died of avian influenza, known as bird flu, recently at Nagpur’s Gorewada Rescue Centre.

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When contacted, Dr Satish Pande, founder of Ela Foundation and Pune’s honorary wildlife warden, said such a surveillance model would lead to early detection of new and emerging pathogens and generate early warning signals and evidence. Dr Pande said bird sanctuary workers and residents near wetlands were a primary component of the study.

“The study includes all three components of ‘One Health Mission’- environmental surveillance, human surveillance and bird surveillance,” Dr Pande explained.

He said periodic sampling of birds to screen them for ‘One Health’ priority diseases will be taken up. At sensitisation workshops, the ‘One Health’ approach will be explained in detail as the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants and the environment is interlinked, he said.

He added that the dos and don’ts for maintaining a safe distance from wildlife, livestock, poultry, and pets will be outlined, and we will discuss the importance of immunisation.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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