Which of the following is considered a zoonotic disease?

Which of the following is considered a zoonotic disease?

• A. Anthrax
• B. Botulism
• C. Myonecrosis
• D. Tetanus

Answer: (A)

Zoonotic diseases are infections that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Anthrax fits this definition because Bacillus anthracis naturally circulates in livestock, and humans can pick it up through contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products, or by inhaling spores from animal hides or wool. The other conditions are not transmitted from animals to humans in typical scenarios: botulism arises from a toxin produced by bacteria usually encountered in food or wounds, not from animals passing the disease to people; myonecrosis (gas gangrene) is a tissue infection usually from wound contamination, not an animal-to-human transmission; tetanus results from spores in soil or environmental sources infecting wounds, not from animals. So anthrax is the zoonotic disease.

Zoonotic diseases are infections that can be transmitted from animals to humans. Anthrax fits this definition because Bacillus anthracis naturally circulates in livestock, and humans can pick it up through contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products, or by inhaling spores from animal hides or wool. The other conditions are not transmitted from animals to humans in typical scenarios: botulism arises from a toxin produced by bacteria usually encountered in food or wounds, not from animals passing the disease to people; myonecrosis (gas gangrene) is a tissue infection usually from wound contamination, not an animal-to-human transmission; tetanus results from spores in soil or environmental sources infecting wounds, not from animals. So anthrax is the zoonotic disease.