A zoonotic disease or zoonosis is an infectious disease that is directly transmitted from animal to humans, such as rabies and bird flu. Almost any animal can carry zoonotic disease e.g., mammals, birds etc.
Causes zoonotic diseases: Many different pathogens can cause zoonosis. These are viruses, bacteria, Parasites (protozoa and parasitic worms), fungi.
Symptoms of zoonotic diseases: Symptoms of zoonotic diseases vary depending on the specific illness. For example, symptoms of bird flu are fever, cough, tiredness, muscle aches, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose and headache.
8.3.1 Types of Zoonotic Diseases
Viral zoonoses: The examples of diseases caused by zoonotic viruses are rabies which can be transmitted from all mammals and bird flu which is transmitted from birds.
Bacterial zoonoses: Examples of bacterial zoonoses are anthrax which is transmitted from cattle and plague which is transmitted from rat fleas.
Fungal zoonoses: The example of zoonoses caused by fungus is ring worm which is transmitted from cats and cattle.
Protozoan zoonoses: Examples of protozoan zoonoses are African sleeping sickness which is transmitted from an African fly and beaver fever which is transmitted from beavers.
Parasitic worm zoonoses: Examples of parasitic worm zoonoses are snail fever which is transmitted from snails and tape worm which is transmitted from pig.