World Zoonoses Day 2020: What is Zoonosis And How Does The Infectious Disease Spread

A zoonosis is an infectious disease that is transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans.

We are all very much acquainted with the COVID-19 pandemic that is going on around the world right now, though at the start we had very little information about it. There have been reports of the infectious disease spreading from bats to humans and then from there to other humans. This kind of infection is known as a zoonosis. So on World Zoonoses Day 2020, which is marked on July 6, we take a look at what it is all about.

To start off, a zoonosis (plural zoonoses) is an infectious disease that is transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans. It is caused by a pathogen, such as a bacterium, virus or parasite, that an animal carries and which jumps to a human. The infected human then unknowingly transmits the infectious agent to another human and then from there it spreads to others until it becomes a pandemic.

According to Infection Control Today, World Zoonoses Day is held every year to commemorate the first vaccination against a zoonotic disease that was successfully administered by Louis Pasteur, a French biologist, on July 6, 1885. The day is also marked to raise awareness about the risk of zoonotic diseases like Ebola, Avian influenza and West Nile virus.

How it Spreads From Animals to Humans:

Animals play a big part in spreading zoonotic diseases, with 75 per cent of new or emerging diseases originating from them, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The transmission can occur when there is contact with the animals, consumption of the meat or using of animal products. The disease can jump from your pets, from farm animals reared for meat or from hunting, butchering and consuming wild game.

How to Prevent it From Happening:

There are several precautionary measures that humans can take to avoid contracting zoonotic diseases, like properly washing hands with soap and water. Other methods include wearing protective clothing and spraying repellant to prevent bites from fleas, mosquitoes and ticks. It is also important to store and handle food safely and to avoid bites and scratches from animals.

It is important to follow the various safety measures, as people are at risk of contracting serious illness from zoonotic disease, especially children below five years of age and adults over 65.