Zoonotic diseases: 3 things you should know
It’s probably fair to say that for many of us, the word “zoonosis” doesn’t ring a bell. However, some of the most notorious diseases in recent history are zoonotic: HIV originated from primates1, for example. Other zoonotic diseases have been part of the human experience reaching as far back as antiquity: the earliest cases of rabies are almost 4,000 years old.
Nature is full of relationships – perhaps none as foundational as the one between humans and animals. Over the course of millennia, animals and humans have built a special bond. We interact with them in our daily lives, and our health is interconnected. That’s why it is important to know more about zoonoses, and what actions we can all take to make it harder for them to spread.
1. What is a zoonotic disease?
A zoonotic disease, or commonly named zoonosis, is a disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Pathogens can be viruses, bacteria, parasites, and even fungi.
Some of these diseases are mild, others severe and even highly fatal – like rabies.
2. How do zoonoses spread?
There are four major ways zoonoses can spread. The most common one is through direct contact, meaning bites and scratches, through saliva, blood and even urine of an infected animal. Indirect infection may also occur through contaminated spaces or the habitats of infected animals: aquarium tanks, a pet’s favorite spots in the house or outside, farms, barns, and others. Moreover, the food and water we consume can be potential routes of infection for zoonoses.
Globalization means that zoonotic diseases spread more quickly and cause more harm. The regions that are the most vulnerable to the effect of zoonoses are Asia and Africa due to lack of access to medical care in certain locations.
3. How can we prevent and control the spread of zoonoses?
There is no perfect solution to eliminate them, but vaccination is the most effective solution. Not only do vaccines protect humans and animals, they also keep diseases from spreading, thereby controlling them. Rabies for example is a 100 percent preventable thanks to vaccines. Responsible antibiotics use in human and animal patients is also important to help preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for both humans and animals.
Furthermore, educating yourself and others can make a considerable difference. Especially at a young age, we should all be aware of the safety measures and actions we can take daily.
Pet owners should regularly check if their pets have ticks, bites, or display uncommon behaviors. Caution: even healthy-looking animals can have viruses in their immune system. It is called a passive virus case. Protecting your pets against internal and external parasites according to your veterinarian’s recommendation is also important.
Furthermore, you should not touch stray animals you encounter in the streets or wild animals in the outdoors to avoid bites and scratches. If a wild animal shows no signs of fear or shyness, be especially alert.
By adopting the right actions, we not only manage our own risk of exposure (and that of our loved ones), we can also do our part to prevent zoonotic diseases from spreading globally. If you want to learn more reach out to your physician or your veterinarian.
Sources
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3234451/#:~:text=Both%20HIVs%20are%20the%20result,to%20only%20a%20limited%20extent (last accessed April 19, 2023)