ABSTRACT

Many zoonoses have the potential to be “weaponized” and are therefore a concern for governments around the globe. There are various methods for classifying zoonoses, including their infection agents and routes of infection. The increasing popularity of consuming raw, undercooked, smoked, pickled or dried meat, fish, crustaceans, and mollusks has increased the prevalence of protozoa-, trematode-, cestode-, and nematode-caused zoonoses. Mycotic or fungal zoonoses common in North America are usually receptive to treatment, but they can pose a serious problem in people who are immune-compromised. Educating the public about the basic rules of hygiene is a key to controlling bacterial zoonoses such as bubonic plague, brucellosis, and tularemia. The impacts of zoonoses are not restricted to human morbidity and mortality. These pathogens can affect the well-being of rural and urban communities as well as national economies. There are various methods for classifying zoonoses, including their infection agents and routes of infection.