Zoonotic Diseases: A serious public health concern

Zoonotic diseases are naturally transmitted between animal and human. The zoonotic diseases infections transmitted between animals and people which cause sickness or death in human beings.

Zoonotic Diseases: A serious public health concern

Animals are precious gift from god and also fulfill the human food requirement in the form of meat, dairy, and eggs. Some people kept animals as a pet in their house. Pets offer companionship and entertainment, with millions of households having one or more pets.

However, keeping animal as a pet or person dealing with animals like veterinary doctor are at high risk of zoonosis, because some pathogens are common to human and animal which can transform from animal to human.

There are different types of pathogens like viruses, bacterial, parasites, and fungi. These pathogens can cause many different types of illnesses in people and animals ranging from mild to serious illness and even death. Some animals have no sign of disease but they have pathogen that can make people sick.

According to scientific report half of the human infectious diseases transform form animals, and 3 out of 4 new emerging zoonotic infectious diseases are also transform from animals. That’s why CDC organization is working 24/7 hours to protect people from infectious zoonotic diseases.

  • Zoonotic Infections: The infection spreads in humans from animals are called zoonotic infection.
  • Healthy Pets, Healthy People: The pets kept in houses if they are proper vaccinated and treated against diseases then this is protectant for both animal and humans against infectious diseases.
  • Congo Fever it is an very important infectious disease transform from animal to human with the help of tick vector. This virus is present worldwide.

How do germs spread between animals and people?

The germs can spread from animal to human through different method including;

  • Direct contact: Coming into contact with the saliva, blood, feces, urine, saliva and mucous or other body fluids of an infected animal. Examples include petting or touching animals, and bites or scratches.
  • Indirect contact: in this way may be human get in touch of that area accidentally where animal live roam and the area is contaminated with germs. Examples soil, pet utensils and food, drinking water and pet habitats.
  • Vector-borne: that type of disease in which disease is transmitted by vector Likes tick, mosquito, flea.
  • Foodborne: each year billions of people affected from contaminated food like under-cooked meat, eggs, raw fruits and vegetables.

Authors: Muhammad Shafi Hasni1*, Muhammad Kasib Khan1, Shahzain Ali2

  1. Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
  2. Institute of Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

By Shafi hasni

PhD Scholar