Two statements guide all aspects of our work.

EcoHealth Alliance’s VISION is to be the organization

leading the change in perspectives, policy and practices
that increase global capacity to respond to emerging
threats at the intersection of health and the environment.
Our MISSION – EcoHealth Alliance leads cutting-edge
research into the critical connections between human
and wildlife health and delicate ecosystems. With this
science we develop solutions that promote conservation
and prevent pandemics.

BUILDING ON OVER 4O YEARS Our research, programs, and scientists continue to be

of groundbreaking science, featured in prestigious peer-reviewed journals such as
EcoHealth Alliance is a global, Nature, Science, PLoS One, The Lancet, and Institute of
Medicine reports. EcoHealth Alliance regularly
nonprofit organization dedicated to
garners top media placements in such outlets
protecting wildlife and safeguarding as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times,
human health from the emergence The Huffington Post, and TIME.
of disease. The organization
develops ways to combat the
effects of damaged ecosystems
on human and wildlife health.
Using environmental and health
data covering the past 60 years,
EcoHealth Alliance scientists created
the first-ever, global disease hotspots
map that identifies at-risk regions,
to help predict and prevent the next
pandemic crisis. That work is the
foundation of EcoHealth Alliance’s
rigorous, science-based approach,
focused at the intersection of the
environment, health, and capacity
building. Working in the U.S. and
more than 20 countries worldwide, EcoHealth Alliance scientists have dedicated time and resources to
EcoHealth Alliance’s strength is studying diseases in bat populations, and simultaneously protecting these
gentle creatures from extinction. Due to hunting and habitat loss, popula-
founded on innovations in research, tion numbers continue to dwindle, threatening the delicate ecosystems in
which bats play a crucial role as pollinators and seed dispersers.
training, global partnerships, and
On the cover: Bats play a crucial role in ecosystems and are vital to the
policy initiatives. regeneration of forests through pollination and seed dispersal. The flying
fox feeds exclusively on fruits, nectar and flowers and is also noted for
being one of the largest bats among the more than 1,200 various species.

2
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
EcoHealth Alliance’s Board of Directors set the strategic
Chairman
Ellen Shedlarz direction, ensure the financial health and sustainability of
the organization, and hire and evaluate the performance
Vice Chairman
Oliver Engert of the president. EcoHealth Alliance’s Board of Directors

Treasurer provide specific expertise relevant to their personal and

Mark O’Donnell professional backgrounds to help the organization enhance

Secretary its ability to conduct research, advance science, and protect

Isabel L. Rodriguez human, animal and ecosystem health.
Honorary Chair
Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy

Dr. Peter Daszak

Dr. Amy Attas

Gerard Caddick

Dr. Rita Colwell

James I. Gadsden

Nancye Green

Robert Gutenstein

Jeffrey L. Hines

Robert Hoguet

Dr. James Hughes

Peter S. Kaufman

Nels Lippert

Margaret Loeb

Joel Maizel

Ann B. Moore EcoHealth Alliance Board Members and guests

celebrate the organization’s successes each spring
Sheila Patel at an annual benefit in New York City.

MaryLee Sachs

Calvin Schmidt

Dr. Samuel Stebbins

Lucy C. Stitzer

Pamela Thye

Carol C. Timmis

Dr. Patricia Verduin

3
June 30, 2014 the next global health crises. Our scientists are some of the
best and brightest, our team includes wildlife veterinarians,
Dear friends, epidemiologists, ecologists, researchers, software developers,
It has been an incredible year here at EcoHealth Alliance modelers and public health professionals. We employ a ‘One
with many program successes, and a plethora of media Health’ approach to our programs. Through multi-disciplinary
attention focused on the Ebola outbreaks in West Africa and partnerships, our global alliance is working right now in high-
the continued spillover of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome risk regions around the world to stop the next pandemic in its
(MERS) virus in Saudi Arabia and other affected countries. tracks. The ‘One Health’ approach to our programs combines
When a new disease emerges that has pandemic potential, the best tools, training and talent to tackle some of the most
the global community scrambles to respond to the crisis in a pressing public health and environmental issues we face today.
reactive way to first, contain the outbreak and second, halt Our innovative science and predictive mapping work has
its spread. Being reactive is the necessary initial response to guided us to work in emerging disease hotspots around the
an unexpected event; however, what if we were able to identify world. Using environmental and public health data covering
the risks of disease spread in a proactive way? Imagine a world the past 60 years, EcoHealth Alliance scientists created the
without the risk of emerging infectious diseases. This is exactly first-ever, global disease hotspots map that identifies at-risk
the kind of work that EcoHealth Alliance heralds on a daily regions, to help our scientists predict and prevent the next
basis and why I think such an organization is worthy of potential pandemic crisis. That work is the foundation of
your support. EcoHealth Alliance’s rigorous, science-based approach.
It’s a staggering fact that 60 percent of all human diseases Our work is not only focused on safeguarding public health
and 75 percent of all emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic. but the organization is also working with its alliance partners
Simply stated, the term zoonotic refers to an infectious disease to protect the wildlife and habitats in the most biodiverse
carried by animals that can then be spread to people. For corners of the world. Conserving the wildlife and ecosystems
example, mosquitoes can carry West Nile virus and Dengue they depend on for survival provides a natural buffer to
Fever among other vector-born viruses. Then there are rodents, prevent wildlife-born disease transmission to spillover to local
bats, and non-human primates – think apes and chimpanzees – populations. This ideology is critical to our work and has been
that carry a myriad of dangerous pathogens. Most recently, we integral to our mission for more than 40 years.
know Avian influenza has huge potential to decimate livestock. I hope you enjoy our current Annual Report and that you
It is estimated that 15 million people die each year from become more engaged with an organization that is doing
infectious diseases and in a pandemic situation the outcome some incredible work to help save wildlife and protect human
would be devastating on so many levels. health. Your support has helped advance the organization in so
Over the past 50 years, the increased frequency of new many ways and allows for the creation of new groundbreaking
diseases that originate in wildlife and are then transmitted to conservation science programs to become a reality. Together
people has risen dramatically. Consider that the HIV/AIDS virus we can make a difference.
erupted in Africa many decades ago from local communities
hunting wildlife for food and trade. The HIV/AIDS virus has
Sincerely,
claimed more than 39 million lives and currently affects more
than 35 million who are living with the disease. Imagine
a world where HIV/AIDS could have been prevented by
proactive scientific research, targeted wildlife monitoring
Ellen Shedlarz
and coordinated conservation initiatives.
Chair, EcoHealth Alliance
EcoHealth Alliance is laser-focused on predicting and
preventing possible pandemic events like Ebola, SARS, Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome and Nipah virus from becoming
4
June 30, 2014 Nile virus, Lyme’s disease and now MERS are all apart of our
lexicon. Our scientists looked at these data sets and developed
Dear friends, a global ‘hotspots’ map identifying where the next major pan-
As our summer field season kicks off, EcoHealth Alliance’s demic could surface. We have now been able to show how many
science teams are spread across the globe conducting research, unknown viruses threaten us on the planet; and how leaving
reaching program milestones, and leading training workshops with wildlife habitats intact will prevent those diseases from infecting
our various alliance partners. As we close the books on fiscal year us. We have the legacy of working in the conservation space for
2014, it is a time to reflect on the past 12 months as well as look more than 40 years; saving species and habitats from the massive
forward to the new opportunities and challenges we face as changes made to the planet’s landscape. We’ve pioneered the
an organization. It has been a prolific year for EcoHealth strategy of using our own health concerns to protect wildlife from
Alliance, particularly when our team was called upon to help deforestation, intensive agricultural expansion, illegal wildlife
unravel the mystery of a new virus that emerged in the Middle trade and the impacts of global travel and trade.
East. The virus, known now as Middle East Respiratory The take-away, if we learn how to protect wildlife from human
Syndrome (MERS), emerged slowly in the Kingdom of Saudi intrusion in natural habitats; only then can we stop emerging
Arabia and initiated its advance on the world stage. diseases in their tracks.
EcoHealth Alliance was tapped for its expertise discovering EcoHealth Alliance is an organization that cares for the
the diseases that jump from wildlife to people when we alter environment and the wildlife dependent on healthy ecosystems.
the environment. The new virus was identified as a coronavirus However, we can’t do it alone, our ‘One Health’ approach builds
– viruses often found in bat species – similar to the SARS virus on the talents of our public health, government, and conservation
that erupted in southern China a little over a decade ago. In the partners – our alliance is our strength. Our expertise drives all of
Saudi Arabian desert, EcoHealth Alliance scientists adorned with our programs and ultimately our mission.
protective clothing and equipped with gear, gathered biological There’s more work to be done to understand the transmis-
samples from the bats they found roosting in an abandoned sion patterns of the MERS virus as well as research to predict and
village near where the first patient lived who contracted MERS. prevent the next HIV/AIDS.
Samples were collected humanely and without harm to bats My hope is that you review this Annual Report and sense
and other animals; and then carefully preserved to send to our the breadth of our global reach. Your support of our work is
partner lab for testing. Our lab results surprisingly showed undeniably necessary as no other organization does what we
that the virus had a bat origin and had been circulating in do on a daily basis. I believe together we can make a difference
camels for at least 20 years, allowing us to identify a key risk for the lives, livelihoods and all the fascinating creatures on this
to human infection. planet so the next generation can enjoy all the beauty that is the
The MERS virus has remained in the headlines consistently, natural world.
reaching different corners of the world. The disease claims the
lives of a third of those infected. Early symptoms are easily Thank you,
misdiagnosed; upper respiratory illness is often confused with
the flu. While the international community grappled with this
new infectious disease, many questions were raised regarding
the transmission dynamics of MERS. EcoHealth Alliance remains Dr. Peter Daszak
on the frontlines of the MERS outbreak, conducting vital research President, EcoHealth Alliance
and fieldwork required to assemble all the clues to understand
this new infectious emerging disease.
EcoHealth Alliance is continually called upon for its expertise in
wildlife-borne diseases. In the past 50 years, a series of new dis-
eases have emerged, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Nipah virus, SARS, West
5
 In fiscal year 2014, our expertise was called upon
to uncover the mystery of the latest viral outbreak. Middle
East Respiratory Syndrome, now more commonly referred
to as MERS, took to the headlines as people succumbed to
HEALTH ENVIRONMENT
the disease and the global community became aware of its
possible pandemic potential. Our team of scientific experts
sampled bats, camels and other animals in Saudi Arabia to
begin the process of understanding possible transmission
dynamics in order to thwart further spread.
CAPACITY
Over the past few decades, viruses such as HIV/AIDS,
BUILDING
SARS and now MERS continue to emerge around the globe and
are transmitted to human populations from other mammals
at an increasing rate. Each new disease outbreak pushes the
global health community to act reactively to rapidly determine
the source of the virus, its virulence and its pandemic EcoHealth Alliance works at the
potential. It’s a never-ending cycle of emergence and intersection of ecosystem, animal
reaction. The question remains: what if we place our experts,
and human health through local
funding and our proven science in front of a possible disease
emergence? We know the threat exists so why not take
conservation programs, and
a proactive approach? develops global health solutions
to address emerging diseases.
To combat this issue, EcoHealth Alliance scientists
embarked on a fresh approach to discovering global public
health threats – particularly viruses that arise from wildlife
reservoirs. The scientists focused on the plausibility of
discovering and cataloging all of the mammalian viruses in
the world. We estimated the possible amount of viruses by
studying flying fox bats – a reliable and known reservoir of
many diseases that could infect people. Our team of modelers
and ecologists estimated that we have yet to discover around
320,000 viruses in known mammalian species. The take
away? It’s a far fewer number than previously thought and to
discover all of these diseases would cost far less then paying
for an outbreak once it takes hold on a global scale. 6
 EcoHealth Alliance continues to break new ground
in both its conservation and public health programs.
Working with a global team of partners, EcoHealth
Alliance integrates multi-disciplinary teams includ-
ing both domestic and foreign government agencies.
This collaborative approach is cost-effective, cultur-
ally sensitive and gains buy-in from all participants
to promote the longevity of each program.

to look for evidence of disease. The findings are catalogued

in a database, that mathematical experts use to create
predictive maps of potential disease outbreaks. This
approach not only allows researchers to find new diseases,
EcoHealth Alliance is one of the lead partners
but also helps communities prepare for and respond to the
in the second phase of the USAID-EPT PREDICT program
threat of an outbreak.
entitled, ‘PREDICT-2’.
The strongest foundation of EcoHealth Alliance
Avian Influenza, HIV/AIDS, SARS, and Influenza
research is the connection between local conservation and
H1N1: these diseases are not just infamous for their human
global health. EcoHealth Alliance goes beyond scientific
and economic impact, they also share one common trait.
fieldwork to support local researchers and actively build
All four of these diseases are animal-related, and they are
local capacity. As a PREDICT partner, EcoHealth Alliance
not the only ones of their kind.
works with scientists and policymakers in each country
Zoonotic diseases - or those that can be transmitted
to create a network of research, communication, and
between animals and humans - represent approximately 75
response partners - on a local, regional, and global level.
percent of the newly emerging diseases currently affecting
people. In the context of globalization and expansive trade
and travel, these diseases can travel very quickly, posing The EPT program is: PREDICT-2
serious public health, development and economic concerns. • Detecting and identifying collaborators include:
zoonotic pathogens in wildlife • EcoHealth Alliance
In an effort to identify and respond to new zoo-
- over 35,000 animals have been • The University of California
notic diseases before they spread to humans, the U.S. tested and 200 new viruses Davis School of Veterinary
Agency for International Development (USAID) established have been discovered to date. Medicine
• Determining the potential risk • Columbia University Center
its Emerging Pandemic Threats (EPT) program. The EPT
and methods of transmission for Infection and Immunity
program consists of four projects: PREDICT, RESPOND, for specific zoonotic diseases • Wildlife Conservation Society
IDENTIFY, and PREVENT. The PREDICT project seeks - key points for spillover have • The Smithsonian Institute
to identify new emerging infectious diseases that could been identified and global risk • Metabiota Inc.
maps highly refined. • ProMED Mail
become a threat to human health. PREDICT partners locate
• Implementing the “one health” • HealthMap / Harvard School
their research in geographic “hotspots” and focus on wild- approach of cross-discipline of Medicine
life that are most likely to carry zoonotic diseases - animals research - bringing more stake-
such as bats, rodents, and nonhuman primates. holders - including the public
- to forge conservation and
EcoHealth Alliance works at the leading edge of
health solutions.
this field by building local capabilities and testing high-risk • Supporting the growth of sustain-
wildlife in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Colombia, Indonesia, able, country-level programs and
response capabilities.
Malaysia, and Mexico. After scientists collect swabs or
• Promoting the actions that
small amounts of blood, they analyze the samples in the lab minimize or eliminate the
potential for the emergence and
spread of new disease threats. 7
PROGRAM UPDATES

EMERGING DISEASE
HOTSPOTS
EcoHealth Alliance is working to discover EcoHealth Alliance employs a quantitative risk
emerging diseases using a first-of-its kind predictive map of analysis strategy using data from a range of sources: global
disease hotspots. EcoHealth Alliance scientists uncovered human travel, livestock and wildlife trade, and natural
the specific factors that make a region predisposed to disease animal migration. Our organization is uniquely poised to
emergence by collecting data on outbreaks over the past 50 fill this analytical gap, which has been left open by U.S. and
years. By identifying potential infectious disease threats, we international government agencies.
can protect both public and environmental health. EcoHealth Alliance scientists are on the front-
As the leading cause of human fatalities world- lines of disease emergence and discovery. In Malaysia and
wide, infectious diseases lead to the deaths of 13 million China we are testing people and wildlife for new and po-
people per year. Additionally, over three-quarters of tentially dangerous viruses. Hunting wild animals for food
emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a result of zoonotic brings people into close contact with a multitude of species
pathogens (i.e. originating from wild or domestic animals and a vast number of potential new diseases. Working with
and spreading to humans). EcoHealth Alliance scientists the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative, EcoHealth Alliance
are actively working in many countries to identify potential is studying the risk of viral emergence in highly exposed
infectious disease threats through viral discovery. groups of people.
For example, Bangladesh is a veritable pressure
cooker for disease emergence, with its vast array of bio- Our goals for this program includes:
diversity and its exceptionally high population growth rate. • Setting research priorities in global disease hotspots
Our focus includes diseases such as Chikungunya and Rift • Identifying new disease emergence and drivers
Valley fever — both mosquito-borne viruses. • Creating proactive preventative measures and
Chikungunya has had several periodic epidemics disease forecasting
in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. As the virus strain • Studying the interactions between humans and wildlife
mutates, the threat of an epidemic rises. Rift Valley fever is • Building predictive models to anticipate future emergence
lethal in cattle and many virologists predict it will be the next of unknown zoonoses
major emerging disease to cause significant economic costs.

8
PROGRAM UPDATES

STOPPING THE ILLEGAL

WILDLIFE
TRADE
The global wildlife trade is a multi-billion dollar a year industry and the illegal aspect of wildlife trade is big business with the sale and trafficking
of wildlife and animal products rivaling the black market on narcotics and weapons. The potential threats to people and animals are extensive,
including the spread of disease, the introduction of invasive species, and the extinction of wildlife populations.

Congruent with our mission to protect the health products. Products range from raw “bushmeat” (meat of
of wildlife and people across the planet, EcoHealth wild mammals such as non-human primate) to fashion
Alliance is working to reduce the negative impacts of products (fur or skins). Illegal products do not carry the
the illegal wildlife trade. As a multi-billion dollar a year legally required permits for import, which would ensure
industry, the global illegal wildlife trade is second only to that they conform to international trade regulations.
narcotics. The potential threats to humans and animals are These regulations are in place to protect conservation
extensive, including the spread of disease, the introduction of vulnerable species as well as prevention of disease
of invasive species, and the extinction of wildlife transmission from non-native wildlife to humans, domestic
populations. animals (such as pets and livestock) and wildlife native to
the United States. Diseases of public health concern that
The illegal wildlife trade represents an have emerged from the wildlife trade in the past include
unregulated market of live wild animals and wild animal SARS and monkey pox.

9
PROGRAM UPDATES

ASSESSING AND MITIGATING

THE IMPACTS OF WILDLIFE TRADE continued
The United States is one of the top importing Ongoing EcoHealth Alliance projects include:
countries involved in the illegal wildlife trade. There are • Characterizing the scope and scale of global wildlife trade
steps the public can take to support the elimination of the using international trade databases.
illegal wildlife trade both abroad and domestically: • Informing international trade and animal health groups of
necessary measures to strengthen policies on wildlife harvest
• International travelers should avoid purchasing and/or carry- and movement.
ing wild animal products, including meat, skins, and traditional • Modeling the spread of pathogens through trade and travel
medicines. Smuggled wildlife imports are often concealed in networks to predict emergence.
boxes or coolers; if you see a passenger carrying a suspicious • Assessing exotic pet choices to provide scientifically-based
container report it to Customs and Border Protection officials. recommendations for healthy- and environmentally-friendly
• When traveling domestically, be aware of national and state pets via our EcoHealthyPets program.
laws regarding the transport of wild animals. Some laws differ • Conducting disease surveillance of confiscated wildlife
among states. imports to inform government partners about wildlife-associ-
• We encourage you to make conscientious non-traditional pet ated pathogen risk.
choices. Always make sure pets are captive-bred and choose • Developing outreach materials for travelers and airport staff
pets that present minimal health and environmental risks, and to increase public awareness of the illegal wildlife trade.
can be adequately cared for in a captive situation. Please visit • Working with hunters in source areas to educate them on
www.EcoHealthyPets.com for more information. health risks of the bushmeat trade and engage them in dis-
ease surveillance efforts.

Our program goals include:

• Drawing upon the best available scientific findings to make
policy recommendations to reduce the risks of disease emer-
gence and the decline of wildlife populations resulting from
illegal wildlife trade.
• Developing proactive steps to mitigate the transmission and
spread of diseases of wildlife origin to other wildlife, domes-
tic animals, and humans.

The ongoing
poaching of
elephants each
year is rapidly
driving these
creatures towards
extinction. 10
PROGRAM
UPDATES INFECTIOUS DISEASE EMERGENCE
AND ECONOMICS
OF ALTERED LANDSCAPES
(IDEEAL)
Land-use change is a significant driver of emerging Our Approach:
infectious disease. Over 60 percent of emerging infectious This USAID funded project is currently based in
diseases over the past six decades, including SARS, H1N1/ the Kinabatangan Basin in Sabah, Malaysia. EcoHealth
Swine Flu, and HIV/AIDS have originated in animals, with Alliance works closely with the Sabah Wildlife Department,
nearly half of these linked to changes in land-use. Forest University of Malaysia, as well as representative commu-
degradation resulting from agricultural intensification nity groups. Our modeling strategy uses existing datasets
and other human activities accounts for about 15 percent collected by EHA and others identified through partners
of greenhouse gas emissions - roughly equivalent to the and government agencies in Malaysia. We calculate the
emissions generated by the entire global transportation value of damages from past disease outbreaks, and model
sector. The key to reducing the threat from diseases with expected damages under different land-use scenarios, and
pandemic potential and slowing global climate change is to different outbreak severities. We then run our models with
more accurately account for the value of ecosystems and data incorporating different rates of exposure to disease by
base land-use choices on real benefits and costs. men and women of all ages.

Goals: EcoHealth Alliance has spent the last 40 years

The four main goals of the Infectious addressing complex environmental and social challenges
Disease Emergence and Economics of through multidisciplinary collaborative international
Altered Landscapes (IDEEAL) project are to: networks. The IDEEAL project leverages our experience

1. Build economic models of land-use change and disease emer-

in building successful partnerships, developing outreach

gence that can be used by local and regional decision makers;

programs, and our specific expertise in modeling disease

2. Describe the relationship between disease emergence, land-

emergence and its economic implications. Developing an

use change, and human behavior, and quantify an ecosystem’s

economic cost/benefit analysis of land-use change in rela-

disease regulating value;

tion to health requires specific information on the frequen-

3. Build toolkits and establish a center of excellence to develop

cy of disease emergence and outbreaks, and the impact on

and promote best practices, research, and reduced-impact

individuals, on communities, and on production, trade and

land-use guidance; and

travel. Our approach for the IDEEAL project brings together

4. Engage private companies and educate and empower civil

these components to produce actionable information for

society stakeholders to work together for a healthy and

local stakeholders and decision makers to mitigate threats

sustainable future.
from climate change and emerging infectious diseases.

Forest degradation resulting from agricultural

intensification and other human activities accounts
for about 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions
– roughly equivalent to the emissions generated
by the entire global transportation sector.

11
PROGRAM UPDATES

ECONOMICS
OF EMERGING INFECTIOUS
DISEASES
Outbreaks of emerging diseases and pandemics response capacities in all countries around the world. Global

inflict damages and costs to society that include the direct donations required to fund these upgrades are not sufficient.

costs of treating illness, the effects of a reduction in labor What other options does the global community have?

supply caused by an unhealthy and/or dying work force, as • Valuing ecosystem services. With specific consideration of

well as losses in sectors unrelated to health such as travel the role of intact ecosystems in mitigating infectious diseases,

and trade. what is the optimal use of land and resources considering
benefits and costs of converting land and the benefits of

The rate at which emerging disease events occur preserving intact landscapes?

is increasing, and in order to minimize the damages, it is • Extractive Industries. What are the damages that industries

important to examine the benefits, costs, and effectiveness and surrounding communities can sustain if precautions are

of underlying policy approaches in addition to determining not taken to lessen the risk of infectious disease outbreaks?

the magnitude of the damage and on whom the economic • Impact of disease on commodity prices. How do different

burdens fall. This program comprises a wide range of media announcements regarding disease outbreaks impact

projects that take into account the uncertainty surrounding the behaviors of hedgers and speculators?

the timing, location, and virulence of an outbreak.

Ultimately, the Economics of Emerging
• Economic impacts of emerging infectious disease events. Infectious Diseases program seeks to determine how to
What are the total damages associated with past events? optimally allocate resources to address the pandemic
• Optimal pandemic policies responses. Should we invest threat, whether devising strategies to mitigate the
more in preventing the outbreak or alleviating the damages underlying causes, or providing the necessary knowledge
of an outbreak, and when should we invest and implement for individuals, businesses, and society as a whole, to
these policies? minimize economic damages in the event of an imminent
• Financing options for global disease surveillance and re- pandemic. EcoHealth Alliance’s experience determining
sponse. Multi-lateral organizations have investigated the the distribution of the damages as well as the underlying
costs necessary to bolster infectious disease surveillance and causes will be invaluable to policies makers.

Economic Impact of Selected Infectious Disease Outbreaks

$50 bn

SARS H1N1
$40 bn China, Hong Kong, Worldwide EcoHealth Alliance’s
$45-55bn
Singapore, Canada Economics of Emerging
$30-50bn
Ebola Infectious Diseases program
Estimated Cost

Africa $31-33bn seeks to determine how to

$30 bn H5N1 Avian Flu
optimally allocate resources
Worldwide, $30bn
to address pandemic
threats. The organization
$20 bn
is developing strategies to
Foot & Mouth mitigate and minimize eco-
Foot & Mouth
UK, $10-15bn E. Coli nomic damages in the event
$10 bn Taiwan, $5-8bn BSE MRSA
BSE 0157:H7
Nipah US of an imminent pandemic.
Canada US US
BSE SE Asia Lyme Disease $3.5bn $3bn $1.8bn $5-10bn
UK, $5bn $550-650m US, $200m

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014
Figures are estimates and are presented as relative size. Based upon bio-era and other data. 12
PROGRAM UPDATES

Brazil, and Borneo, Malaysia. In the past year, our scientists

have begun sampling species for pathogens in each country
along a deforestation gradient, i.e., looking at areas with no
deforestation, some deforestation, and areas where once
pristine forests have been completely removed.

In each area, EcoHealth Alliance scientists will

be investigating the number of viruses present to test the
theory that higher biodiversity allows for a greater diver-
Rapid deforestation all over the world is a major sity of pathogens. Project Deep Forest allows us to test our
cause for concern from a conservation and public health hotspots model, where areas with high biodiversity along
perspective. Several hundred species are a part of the with a high human population density are marked as highly
delicate ecosystems created by the richly biodiverse forest likely for disease emergence. UC Davis will be using our
environments. Deforestation and human encroachment innovative methodology, developed for Project Deep For-
displaces these species and forces heightened interaction est, for further pathogen sampling in Uganda.
between people and animals
indicating a high potential for
disease transmission as we
have seen from the stories of
Nipah Virus, Avian Influenza
and SARS emergence.

Following our work

on the hotspots map, Project
Deep Forest was developed
on the assumption that the
greater the biodiversity in a
given area, the greater the di-
versity of pathogens. As long
as these areas of high biodi-
versity remain preserved in
their natural state and free
of human encroachment,
then people are less at risk of
emerging infectious disease. In the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, EcoHealth Alliance scientists and our local partners are sampling bats,
rodents and non-human primates to test for new viruses and potential threats to public and wildlife health.
EcoHealth Alliance scientists Project Deep Forest is looking at how deforestation and other land-use changes increase the odds of
have begun to test this theory emerging disease transmission from animals to humans.

in the forests of Manaus,

13
PROGRAM UPDATES

ONE HEALTH
APPROACH
Many of the planet’s current and evolving human Support for a One Health approach has been ex-
health challenges have ecological links. Despite these con- pressed by the World Health Organization, The Food and
nections, human health is largely viewed in isolation from Agriculture Organization of the U.N, the World Organi-
the health of animals and the environment. Approaching sation for Animal Health, the U.S. Institute of Medicine,
health problems through a comprehensive perspective that the American Medical and American Veterinary Medical
considers environmental determinants and drivers of dis- Associations, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
ease will enable informed and proactive understanding and and Prevention. EcoHealth Alliance seeks to move the
action to address major challenges facing our health and the support from theoretical One Health discussions to
health of our planet. actionable, on-the-ground One Health activities that
yield tangible human health benefits and promote
A One Health approach considers the integral the health of our ecosystems.
links among human, animal and environmental
health. This approach promotes sharing of information and To advance a One Health approach,
perspectives across disciplines to provide more comprehen- EcoHealth Alliance seeks to undertake a sys-
sive and upstream understanding of health concerns at the tematic approach to create a roadmap that
human-animal-environment interface. This, in turn, can will provide a clear route to implementable,
yield innovative, cost-effective solutions.
sustainable, and effective One Health infra-
structure. Overall outputs sought are:
One Health can provide high value for a • Establishing best practices that optimize the development
range of critical health topics, including: and implementation of One Health infrastructure at different
• Improving data and information sharing systems to more fully scales and scopes.
utilize information from food safety, animal and human health • Determining urgent health priorities ripe for a One Health
to improve healthcare outcomes. approach where benefits of efforts can be maximized.
• Emerging diseases in humans, given their high rate of • Creating sustainable mechanisms for formal and informal
emergence from wildlife. professional networking across disciplines to boost creative
• Rabies, given susceptibility of >120 species, near-global pres- and upstream problem-solving for health issues.
ence, and its role in more than 50,000 human deaths annually. • Driving a culture of change in professions to increase interest
• Antimicrobial resistance, given widespread medical and food and recognition of local and global benefits from collabora-
industry antimicrobial use, paired with complex environmental, tion and a broader view of health and environmental links.
ecological and evolutionary factors.
• Climate change, given potential impacts on disease host range
and pathogen persistence.
• Food security, given dependence on food systems and rapidly
changing practices.
• Wildlife trade, given global movement, often unregulated, of
animals and the pathogens they may harbor.

14
PROGRAM UPDATES

HEALTH & POLICY

INITIATIVES
Despite the strong inter-dependencies of people, Internationally, EcoHealth Alliance has worked
animals and the environment, wildlife and ecosystem with government partners from health, agriculture, and
health are typically not adequately considered in the de- wildlife agencies to develop surveillance programs and
velopment of human health, agriculture, or conservation processes that enable early detection of disease risks for
policies. As a result, these initiatives are missing the critical both humans and animals. EcoHealth Alliance provided
piece of the health and biodiversity puzzle. Policies often technical and editorial support for the IUCN-OIE Guide-
end up lacking in science-driven guidance, and responses lines to Wildlife Disease Risk Analysis, which will serve as
are reactive rather than proactive in predicting and pre- a resource for governments, wildlife managers, and land
venting health and conservation threats. use planners to promote more proactive consideration and
EcoHealth Alliance has a core focus of translating mitigation of disease risks.
its strong ecosystem health science into actionable infor- Recognizing the importance of both regulatory
mation for policy makers. For example, on a local level, approaches and corporate practices to health and the
EcoHealth Alliance presented on the scale and impacts of environment, EcoHealth Alliance strives to also work
the illegal wildlife trade in New York to the state’s District closely with private industry to develop sustainable and
Attorney Association to raise awareness among prosecu- healthy practices. Across the world and on local levels,
tors. On a national level, EcoHealth Alliance provided EcoHealth Alliance staff and partners engage policy makers
scientific guidance through invited briefings to Congres- and industry partners to provide sound guidance based on
sional and White House officials on pandemic prevention science and build capacity to more efficiently and effec-
and control, and natural resource management. This was tively promote wildlife and domestic animal health, public
especially relevant given the U.S. government’s growing health, and natural resource management.
focus on global health security and concerns over the
illegal wildlife trade.
Towards shared conservation goals, EcoHealth
Alliance also continued its fruitful collaboration with the
Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD),
providing the ecosystem health perspective at a regional
workshop in Brazil hosted by the CBD and the World Health
Organization. EcoHealth Alliance also provided input on
the CBD’s publication “Healthy Planet, Healthy People –
A Guide to Human Health and Biodiversity”. EcoHealth
Alliance has also continued to provide ecosystem and
public health expertise to intergovernmental organizations
including the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE),
Dr. Peter Daszak and Anne-Hélène Prieur-Richard were invited to the
the International Union for the Conservation of Nature United Nations to present on the links between biodiversity and public
(IUCN), and the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization health. EcoHealth Alliance’s Health and Policy work links the contribution
of biodiversity towards sustainable development goals using a ‘One Health’
and World Health Organization, including expert advice approach to influence policy makers.
on Avian influenza and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS-CoV).

15
EcoHealth Alliance Income Statement FY2O14

Investment Income
3.2%

Individuals Other Income

4.8% 2.2%

Foundations Special Events Income

and Corporations 4.5%
2.9%

Government
Grants
82.4%

FY2O14 Income
Government Grants $ 7,638,469.
Foundations and Corporations $ 272,439.
Individuals $ 440,524.
Investment Income* $ 300,102.
Other Income $ 206,855.
Special Events Income $ 413,318.
Total Income $ 9,271,707.
*Includes investment gains of $244,812

The Consolidated Statements of EcoHealth Alliance as of June 30, 2014 including the Consolidated Balance sheet, Consolidated Statement of Activities, Consolidated Statement of Functional Expense, and
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows were audited by the firm of Loeb & Troper. The above presentation has been derived from those audited financial statements. Copies of the audit as well as the Internal 16
Revenue Service Form 990 tax return are available upon request to Harvey Kasdan, Chief Financial Officer at EcoHealth Alliance, 460 West 34th Street, 17th floor, New York, NY 10001
EcoHealth Alliance Expense Statement FY2O14

Special Events
1.1%

External
Administration
Relations
7.9%
7.1%

Program
83.9%

FY2O14 Expenses
Program $ 7,552,145.
External Relations $ 635,961.
Administration $ 708,357.
Special Events $ 101,735.
Total Expenses $ 8,998,198.
Change in Net Assets $ 273,509.

The Consolidated Statements of EcoHealth Alliance as of June 30, 2014 including the Consolidated Balance sheet, Consolidated Statement of Activities, Consolidated Statement of Functional Expense, and
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows were audited by the firm of Loeb & Troper. The above presentation has been derived from those audited financial statements. Copies of the audit as well as the Internal 17
Revenue Service Form 990 tax return are available upon request to Harvey Kasdan, Chief Financial Officer at EcoHealth Alliance, 460 West 34th Street, 17th floor, New York, NY 10001
 SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM

Dr. Peter Daszak

President

Dr. William Karesh

Executive Vice President for Health and Policy

Harvey Kasdan
Chief Financial Officer

Dr. Jonathan Epstein

Associate Vice President

Local conservation. EcoHealth Alliance EcoHealthAlliance.org

460 West 34th Street, 17th Floor
Global health. New York, NY 10001-2320
212.380.4460
@EcoHealthNYC

Follow EcoHealth Alliance to get breaking

news, invites to special events, the latest
research and media coverage.