What are zoonotic diseases?

Zoonotic diseases are defined as diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. This category includes a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi that are capable of infecting both animals and humans. The transmission can occur in various ways, such as through direct contact with an infected animal, through bites or scratches, by consuming contaminated food or water, or through vectors like fleas and ticks. Understanding zoonotic diseases is crucial for public health, as they can emerge from wildlife or domestic animals and pose significant risks to human health.

The other choices define diseases that have more restrictive criteria. For instance, diseases that only occur in humans do not fit into the zoonotic category, as they do not involve animal transmission. Similarly, diseases that occur exclusively in farm animals or affect only domestic pets do not encompass the broader definitions pertaining to human disease transmission, hence they are not zoonotic.