Significance and place of zoonoses in public health

Humans have lived with animal altogether for centuries with a more or less but a continuous contact occurring between each species. This contact had resulted the introduction of infectious diseases between these species.
Almost every type of infectious diseases are seen in both humans and animals as well in Turkey. Besides, the geographical localization of Turkey, facilitates the intruding of some diseases along our borders. For this reason, both infectious and zoonotic diseases reside the characteristics of being the most important issue regarding public health. These diseases causing mass mortalities in animal populations and cause terrifying losses in our economy. On the other hand, threat caused by zoonoses constitutes an outmost significance regarding public health. Moreover, zoonotical disease agents grouped in potential biological warfare and bio-terror agents. Of these, agents of anthrax, brucellosis, tularemia, etc., and some of the viruses causing hemorrhagic fever are amongst the probable agents used in biological warfare and potential bio-terror activities. 
Turkey is placed in the second rank regarding total animal population in Europe, and in the sixth rank in the world.
Recently, nearly 200 zoonoses are defined to threat human and animal health. Most of these maintain their significance as actual problems of human health in Turkey. According to the reports of FAO/WHO/OIE, although it has been announced that the total number of zoonoses occurring as mild, medium and severe cases as 40 in Turkey, it is thought that this number could change on daily basis. Most of these diseases are encountered in bovine, ovine, caprine and avian species constituting the main food of humans.    
Regarding the issue of struggle with the zoonoses, establishment of strategies with the cooperation of international zoonoses centers on the development of applicable precaution measures in each country, should constitute the prior and most significant place.