6th July, 2019 - World Zoonoses Day

World Zoonoses Day is held every year on July 6. The day commemorates July 6, 1885, when Louis Pasteur successfully administered the first vaccine against Rabies virus, a zoonotic disease. Theme day raises awareness for the risk of zoonotic diseases.

Zoonoses are infectious diseases (virus, bacteria and parasites) that can be spread from animals to humans, and vice versa. Zoonoses can spread from direct contact with animals or indirectly, vector-borne or food-borne.

Zoonotic diseases are very common, for example tick-borne encephalitis and borreliosis. But also many foodborne infectious diseases like salmonella, Yersinia, EHEC, botulism or campylobacter are all also zoonoses.

About Zoonoses: -

• The word zoonoses has been derived from the Greek words zoon (animal) and nosos (ailment). As per the veterinary doctors, there are about 150 known zoonotic diseases.
• It is all about spread of infectious disease between species, sometimes done by a vector from animals to humans and from humans to other animals.
• People can get infected by zoonotic diseases from contact with infected live poultry, reptiles, rodents, insects, amphibians and other domestic and wild animals.
• Prominent zoonotic diseases are tuberculosis, cat scratch fever, tick paralysis, roundworms, hookworms, scabies and rabies.

Who is at a higher risk of serious illness from zoonotic diseases?

Anyone can become sick from a zoonotic disease, including healthy people. However, some people may be more at risk than others and should take steps to protect themselves or family members. These people are more likely than others to get really sick, and even die, from infection with certain diseases. These groups of people include:

• Children younger than 5
• Adults older than 65
• People with weakened immune systems

People can get zoonotic diseases from contact with infected live poultry, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and other domestic and wild animals. A common way for these diseases to spread is through the bite of a mosquito or tick. People can get diseases in most places where they might have contact with infected animals and insects, including:

• Animal displays
• Petting zoos
• Pet stores
• Nature parks
• Wooded and bushy areas
• Farms County or state fairs
• Child–care facilities or schools

The most common zoonotic diseases:

• Plague
• Tuberculosis
• Cat Scratch Fever
• Tick Paralysis
• Hantavirus
• Ringworm
• Salmonellosis
• Leptospirosis
• Lyme disease
• Campylobacter infection
• Giardia infection
• Cryptosporidium infection
• Roundworms
• Hookworms
• Scabies
• Harvest mites
• Rabies

How to avoid zoonotic diseases?

• Good hand hygiene by washing hands with soap and clean water
• Preventive clothing for bites from mosquitoes, ticks and fleas
• Store and handle food safely and cook properly
• Avoid bites and scratches from animals

In clinical laboratories remember to maintain high-quality diagnostics. Labquality organizes annually following external quality assessment schemes for zoonotic diagnostics:

Virology

5560 / Puumala virus, antibodies

5099 / Tick-borne encephalitis virus, antibodies

5635 / Dengue virus, antigen and antibody detection

Bacteriology

5180 / Salmonella, culture

5960 / Borrelia burgdorferi, antibodies

5190 / Faecal culture

5191 / Faecal bacteria pathogens, nucleic acid detection

Parasitology

5430 / Malaria, antigen detection

5420 / Toksoplasma, antibodies

5450 / Parasites in feces, virtual microscopy

5470, 5471 / Parasites in blood, virtual microscopy

5472 / Giardia and Cryptosporidium, nucleic acid detection