Veganism vs Coronaviruses and Other Human Diseases: Part 2

Last week in the first part of this article, we examined a review of approximately 25 scientific research studies and papers to elucidate how animal farming has led to the plethora of degenarative diseases and pathogenic conditions, including the deadly coronaviruses affecting the world today.

A ban on wild animal markets is certainly called for worldwide at the moment, but what about the equally deadly farm animal products supply chain that takes many more lives, including millions of humans, billions of land animals and trillions of sea animals?

Humans die prematurely not only due to ailments caused by direct consumption of meat, eggs and dairy, such as cancers, heart diseases and diabetes, but also due to indirectly contracted influenzas and pathogens by airborne or watreborne contaminants, and due to world hunger which is caused by animal farming too. Large amounts of foodgrains are fed to captive animals being grown and killed to feed the tastebuds of the elite while poor children suffer. In this research paper it is argued that ‘diets that include animal products produce more negative GHIs (global hunger index) than vegan diets. A wide range of diet-related negative GHIs could be reduced significantly if current agriculture was transformed into a predominantly vegan agricultural system’ (Animal (De)liberation: Should the Consumption of Animal Products Be Banned? – Jan Deckers 2016).

While the number of diseases linked with animal farming might be countless, and we explored infections, influenzas, coronaviruses, BLV, cancers , thyroid and respiratory diseases, coronary ailments, arthiritis in the previous article, here are a few more worth noting:

1. Infections from Manure: Not only do meat, egg and dairy expose us to infections of stomach and urinary tract, vegans are also calling or more veganic farming, which eliminates use of animal manure and animal blood or bones in vegetable plantations. As noted in a research report on environmental health, ‘It is quite unrealistic to enumerate all the microbial pathogens present in cattle manure because of the huge numbers of these pathogens that populate the gastrointestinal tract and the other systems in the animal. Agricultural animals, including cattle produce copious quantities of animal manure consisting of animal excreta (feces and urine) along with bedding, microorganisms, process-generated wastewater, secretions (nose, throat, blood, vagina, mammary glands, skin and placenta), undigested and spilled feed, antibiotics, nutrients and fur.’ (An Overview of the Control of Bacterial Pathogens in Cattle Manure, Christy E. Manyi-Loh, Sampson N. Mamphweli, Edson L. Meyer, Golden Makaka, Michael Simon, Anthony I. Okoh, Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2016 Sep; 13). In short along with the Vitamin B12 and other nutrients from animal products such as dairy, eggs, meat and manure, we also risk ingesting other secretions and fecus which are highly pathogenic.
2. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease): BSE also called mad-cow disease, is a dealy prionic infection acquired by cows by way of feeding them slaughtered remains of other killed cattle. BSE was subsequently transmitted to humans, causing new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (nvCJD). A task force here has been studying cases of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), an incurable malady of the brain and nervous system that has been linked to eating beef or other products from cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy or “mad cow disease. (Balter M. Epidemiology. Tracking the human fallout from ‘mad cow disease’. Science. 2000 Sep 1)
3. Brucellosis (Malta/ Mediterranean fever): A detailed report states that, ‘Brucellosis is one of the most common contagious and communicable zoonotic diseases with high rates of morbidity and lifetime sterility as well as abortions., arthiritis, coughs, fever and neural problems. The infection of Brucella species is commonly mediated by direct contact with the placenta, fetus, fetal fluids, and vaginal discharges or byproducts (e.g., milk, meat, and cheese) from infected animals. The enlarged udder size (appearance of the 9th month of a pregnant cow) could be used as an indication for the high stage of the disease, where animals shed bacteria in urine, milk, and vaginal discharges. Brucellosis has been reported in 86 different countries worldwide and is a serious threat not only to livestock but also to human health globally. (Muhammad Zahoor Khan, Muhammad Zahoor Trop Med Infect Dis. 2018 Jun)
4. Toxoplasmosis: Two forms of T. gondii are infectious, the tissue cyst which is found in raw or undercooked meat and the oocyst which is present in the feces of the domestic cat. According to research infection by Toxoplasma gondii is thought to affect approximately one-third of the adult human population.’ (Halonen SK, Weiss LM. Toxoplasmosis. Handb Clin Neurol. 2013)
5. Eye/ Ocular disease: Studies in South-east Asia found that certain eye infections, Gnathostoma spinigerum are common in humans and due to ingestion of contaminated fish, pork, chicken, frog, or snake. Contaminated meat contains third-stage larvae, and upon ingestion, the larvae penetrate the viscera and travel to internal organs and subcutaneous tissue. (Daengsvang S. Gnathostomiasis in Southeast Asia. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 1981 Sep)
6. Parasitic Worms: Helminth is a general term for a parasitic worm. The helminths include the Platyhelminthes or flatworms (flukes and tapeworms) and the Nematoda or roundworms.  Larvae are contained in the tissues of the intermediate host and are taken in when a human eats that host, Clonorchis in fish, tapeworms in meat and fish, Trichinella in meat. (Wakelin D. Helminths: Pathogenesis and Defenses. In: Baron S, editor. Medical Microbiology. 4th edition. Galveston (TX): University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston; 1996. Chapter 87)
7. Type 1 Diabetes: In a study on Casein milk protein and Type 1 diabetes among children, researchers presented evidence that A1 β-casein cows’ milk protein is a primary causal trigger of type 1 diabetes in individuals with genetic risk factors. (J S J Chia, J L McRae, S Kukuljan, K Woodford, R B Elliott, B Swinburn, K M Dwyer Nutr Diabetes. 2017 May). Another research on Type 1 diabetes in high risk children, doscovered that at three months of age, infants who had been fed cows’ milk had a significantly higher immune response to bovine insulin than did infants who received an alternative formula or were breast fed. (Gottlieb S. Early exposure to cows’ milk raises risk of diabetes in high risk children. BMJ. 2000)
8. AIDS: In a report on diseases of wildlife and threats to human health, it is stated that. ‘the emergence of HIV is believed to have arisen from hunting of nonhuman primates for food in central African forests.’ (Daszak P, Cunningham AA, Hyatt AD. Clearly exploitation and killing of animals for food is a primary cause of some of the most deadly diseases in the world.

   Science. 2000 Jan 21)

9. Rabies: While a risk of rabies transmitted to humans by dogs might have reduced, new research explains that, ‘human rabies transmitted by wildlife, mostly by bats is a risk to inhabitants in many countries. Transmission of rabies by vampire bats to cattle and humans was associated with forest activities in South America.’ (Belotto A, Leanes LF, Schneider MC, Tamayo H, Correa E. Overview of rabies in the Americas. Virus Res. 2005 Jul)
10. Acne: Milk is meant to increase the growth of calves, it naturally contains growth hormones and anabolic steroids, detrimental to human health. Scientific research on Acne has found that a western diet being dairy rich contributes to acne. (Danby FW. Clin Dermatol. 2010 Nov-Dec;28). This may also explain the onset of acne in adolesence for most people and hence dairy as a causative factor.
11. Eczema: In a study on egg and cows’ milk exclusion diet linked with antigen-avoidance, majority of children who avoided eggs and dairy and received soya substitutes instead of dairy benefited positively. (Atherton DJ, Sewell M, Soothill JF, Wells RS, Chilvers CE. A double-blind controlled crossover trial of an antigen-avoidance diet in atopic eczema. Lancet. 1978 Feb 25)
12. Dermatitis:  In a study exploring diet and dermatological conditions of Seborrheic dermatitis (distinguished by dandruff, cradle cap, seborrhea, seborrheic eczema, and seborrheic psoriasis) on 4,379 participants comparing vegetable, Western, fat-rich and frut dietary patterns,  the fruit pattern was associated with a 25% lower risk and the Western pattern with a 47% increased risk. (Sanders MGH, Pardo LM, Ginger RS, Kiefte-de Jong JC, Nijsten T. J Invest Dermatol. 2019 Jan)
13. Skin Cancers: In a comparitive study between meat and dairy/ fat rich diet and a diet of fruits and vegetables including green leaves, the meat and fat pattern was positively associated with development of SCC tumors. A higher consumption of the vegetable and fruit dietary pattern appeared to decrease SCC tumor risk by 54%. (Ibiebele TI, van der Pols JC, Hughes MC, Marks GC, Williams GM, Green AC.

    Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 May)

14. Stress, Anxiety and Mood Disorders: A study comparing vegan, vegeraian and omnivore diets found reduction of animal food intake may have mood benefits. (Vegans report less stress and anxiety than omnivores. Beezhold B, Radnitz C, Rinne A, DiMatteo J. Nutr Neurosci. 2015 Oct)
15. Schizophrenia: An international analysis found that a higher national dietary intake of refined sugar and dairy products predicted a worse 2-year outcome of schizophrenia (Peet M. Br J Psychiatry. 2004 May). Another analysis of twenty-two cross-sectional studies reported on the relationship between dietary intake of fruits and vegetables and psychosis. Of these 20 studies found lower vegetable and fruit intake is linked with psychosis and one determined that increase in this intake can reverse psychosis. (Aucoin M, LaChance L, Cooley K, Kidd S: Diet and Psychosis: A Scoping Review. Neuropsychobiology 2020;79:20-42. doi: 10.1159/000493399)

In short whether, physical health, infections or mental health, veganism and an elimination of all animal exploitation is not only tremendously beneficial from an ethical perspective, it is also as beneficial to human health and for the wellbeing of the planet as a whole. 

The need to rapidly eliminate animal farming and expolitation of farm animals on an emergency basis cannot be overstated. Not only that we need also to stop needless domestication of animals or their use in farms, for entertainment, in zoos, as pets, as research subject, for animal testing, their use as slaves, or in any way that is unnecessary to leave them in their natural habitats, and to return earth to its natural state. Thirdly we need to switch to veganic farming methods and replace the use of animal products and manure entirely as soon as we can to heal our planet and eliminate suffering of both humans and animals.

Please sign this Petition and intiate your own to be issued to your governments and NGOs as soon as possible: change.org/p/end-slaughter-and-abuse-of-all-animals