This is a list of zoonotic diseases, infectious diseases that have been reported of jumping from a non-human animal to a human.
List Causative pathogen keys Virus Bacteria Parasite Fungi Prion
DiseaseInformation in this table is largely compiled from: Pathogens Animals involved Mode of transmission Emergence African trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness) Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense range of wild animals and domestic livestock bite of the tsetse fly 'Present in Africa for thousands of years' – major outbreak 1900–1920, cases continue (sub-Saharan Africa, 2020). Angiostrongyliasis Angiostrongylus cantonensis, Angiostrongylus costaricensis rats, cotton rats consuming raw or undercooked snails, slugs, other mollusks, crustaceans, contaminated water, and unwashed vegetables contaminated with larvae
Anisakiasis Anisakis whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, other marine animals eating raw or undercooked fish and squid contaminated with eggs
Anthrax Bacillus anthracis grazing herbivores such as cattle, sheep, goats, camels, horses, and pigs by ingestion, inhalation or skin contact of spores Known for at least 2000 years, but only first described clinically in 1752. Causative agent identified in 1877. Ascariasis Ascaris suum, Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati pigs, dogs, cats ingestion of eggs from contaminated soil, food, or water
Aspergillosis Aspergillus spp. birds inhalation of spores from soil and contaminated surfaces, contact with infected birds First identified in 1847. Avian influenza Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 wild birds, domesticated birds such as chickens close contact 2003–present avian influenza in Southeast Asia and Egypt. Babesiosis Babesia spp. mice, other animals tick bite
Balantidiasis Balantidium coli pigs (primary reservoir), other mammals (e.g., camels, cattle, sheep), rarely non-human primates fecal-oral transmission via ingestion of cysts in contaminated food or water, direct contact with pig feces, mechanical transmission possible via flies and cockroaches
Batai virus infection Batai orthobunyavirus birds, livestock mosquito bite
Baylisascariasis Baylisascaris procyonis raccoons ingestion of eggs in feces
Barmah Forest fever Barmah Forest virus kangaroos, wallabies, possums mosquito bite First human case reported in 1986. Botulism Clostridium botulinum birds, mammals ingestion of contaminated food, wound infection, or intestinal colonization
Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) Prions cattle eating infected meat Isolated similar cases reported in ancient history; in recent UK history probable start in the 1970s. Brucellosis (undulant fever, Malta fever, Mediterranean fever) Brucella spp. cattle, goats, pigs, sheep infected milk or meat Historically widespread in the Mediterranean region; identified in the early 20th century. Bubonic plague, Pneumonic plague, Septicemic plague, Sylvatic plague Yersinia pestis rabbits, hares, rodents, ferrets, goats, sheep, camels flea bite Epidemics like Black Death in Europe around 1347–53 during the Late Middle Age; third plague pandemic in China-Qing dynasty and India alone. California encephalitis California encephalitis virus small mammals mosquito bite (Aedes species) First identified in 1943 in Kern County, California. Campylobacteriosis Campylobacter spp. poultry, cattle, pets (dogs and cats) consumption of contaminated food or water, direct contact with infected animals
Capillariasis Capillaria spp. rodents, birds, foxes eating raw or undercooked fish, ingesting embryonated eggs in fecal-contaminated food, water, or soil
Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection Capnocytophaga canimorsus dogs, cats bites, scratches, or close contact with animals
Cat-scratch disease Bartonella henselae cats bites or scratches from infected cats
Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) Trypanosoma cruzi armadillos, Triatominae (kissing bug) contact of mucosae or wounds with feces of kissing bugs, accidental ingestion of parasites in food contaminated by bugs or infected mammal excretae
Chikungunya Alphavirus chikungunya primates, small mammals, rodents, birds, mosquitoes mosquito bite (Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus) First identified in 1952 in Tanzania. Clamydiosis / Enzootic abortion Chlamydophila abortus domestic livestock, particularly sheep close contact with postpartum ewes
Clostridioides difficile infection (Clostridium difficile infection) Clostridioides difficile cattle, companion animals fecal-oral route, contact with contaminated surfaces or hands
Colorado tick fever Colorado tick fever virus small rodents tick bite (primarily by Dermacentor andersoni, the Rocky Mountain wood tick)
COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 bats, felines, raccoon dogs, minks, white-tailed deer respiratory transmission 2019–2023 COVID-19 pandemic; Cowpox Cowpox virus rodents, cattle, cats direct contact with infected animals
Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease PrPvCJD cattle eating meat from animals with Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) 1996–2001: United Kingdom. Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever orthonairovirus cattle, goats, sheep, birds, hares tick bite (Hyalomma spp.), human-to-human contact via bodily fluids
Cryptococcosis Cryptococcus neoformans birds like pigeons inhaling fungi
Cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidium spp. cattle, dogs, cats, mice, pigs, horses, deer, sheep, goats, rabbits, leopard geckos, birds ingesting cysts from water contaminated with feces
Cysticercosis and taeniasis Taenia solium, Taenia asiatica, Taenia saginata pigs and cattle consuming water, soil or food contaminated with the tapeworm eggs (cysticercosis) or raw or undercooked pork contaminated with the cysticerci (taeniasis)
Dengue fever Dengue virus primates mosquito bite (primarily by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus) The earliest detailed descriptions of dengue-like illness appeared in medical records from 1779 to 1780, but has had a significant re-emergence in recent years (see for example 2019–20 dengue fever epidemic). Dermatophytosis (tinea, ringworm) Microsporum spp., Trichophyton spp. cattle, sheep, goats, cats, dogs contact with infected individuals or animals, contact with contaminated surfaces (fomites) or soil Know by ancient Romans, but only fully described in 1837. Dirofilariasis Dirofilaria spp. dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, jackals, cats, monkeys, raccoons, bears, muskrats, rabbits, leopards, seals, sea lions, beavers, ferrets, reptiles mosquito bite
Dhori virus infection Dhori virus birds, livestock, mammals tick bite
Dobrava-Belgrade virus infection Dobrava-Belgrade virus rodents (e.g., yellow-necked mouse) rodent bite and scratches, inhalation of aerosolized particles from rodent droppings, urine, or nesting materials
Dracunculiasis Dracunculus medinensis dogs, cats, baboons mainly contaminated water Known by ancient Egyptians, but only fully identified in 1870. Eastern equine encephalitis Eastern equine encephalitis virus horses, birds, cattle mosquito bite
Ebola Ebolavirus spp. chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, fruit bats, monkeys, shrews, forest antelope and porcupines through body fluids and organs 2013–16; possibly in Africa. Echinococcosis Echinococcus spp. dogs, foxes, jackals, wolves, coyotes, sheep, pigs, rodents ingestion of infective eggs from contaminated food or water with feces of an infected definitive host
Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection Shigatoxigenic and verotoxigenic Escherichia coli cattle, sheep, goats, deer ingestion of contaminated food or water, direct contact with infected animals or their feces
Erysipeloid Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae pigs, fish, birds direct contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products
Fasciolosis Fasciola hepatica, Fasciola gigantica sheep, cattle, buffaloes ingesting contaminated plants
Fasciolopsiasis Fasciolopsis buski pigs eating raw vegetables such as water spinach
Foodborne illnesses (commonly diarrheal diseases) Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Listeria spp., Shigella spp. animals domesticated for food production (cattle, poultry) raw or undercooked food made from animals and unwashed vegetables contaminated with feces
Giardiasis Giardia duodenalis beavers, other rodents, raccoons, deer, cattle, goats, sheep, dogs, cats ingesting spores and cysts in food and water contaminated with feces
Glanders Burkholderia mallei. horses, donkeys direct contact
Gnathostomiasis (larva migrans profundus) Gnathostoma spp. fish, amphibians consuming raw or under-cooked fish or meat
Hantavirus Hantavirus spp. deer mice, cotton rats and other rodents exposure to feces, urine, saliva or bodily fluids
Henipavirus Henipavirus spp. horses, bats exposure to feces, urine, saliva or contact with sick horses
Hepatitis E Hepatitis E virus domestic and wild animals contaminated food or water
Histoplasmosis Histoplasma capsulatum birds, bats inhaling fungi in guano
HIV infection Simian immunodeficiency virus primates contact with infected blood and other bodily fluids, mother-to-infant during pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding Immunodeficiency resembling human AIDS was reported in captive monkeys in the United States beginning in 1983. SIV was isolated in 1985 from some of these animals, captive rhesus macaques who had simian AIDS (SAIDS). The discovery of SIV was made shortly after HIV-1 had been isolated as the cause of AIDS and led to the discovery of HIV-2 strains in West Africa. HIV-2 was more similar to the then-known SIV strains than to HIV-1, suggesting for the first time the simian origin of HIV. Further studies indicated that HIV-2 is derived from the SIVsmm strain found in sooty mangabeys, whereas HIV-1, the predominant virus found in humans, is derived from SIV strains infecting chimpanzees (SIVcpz). Human granulocytic anaplasmosis Anaplasma phagocytophilum deer, rodents, humans tick bite (primarily by Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus)
Human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis Ehrlichia chaffeensis deer tick bite (primarily by Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick)
Japanese encephalitis Japanese encephalitis virus pigs, water birds mosquito bite
Kyasanur Forest disease Kyasanur Forest disease virus rodents, shrews, bats, monkeys tick bite
La Crosse encephalitis La Crosse virus chipmunks, tree squirrels mosquito bite
Lassa fever Lassa mammarenavirus rodents contact with urine, feces, or bodily fluids of infected rats; human-to-human transmission via bodily fluids
Leishmaniasis Leishmania spp. dogs, rodents, other animals sandfly bite 2004 Afghanistan. Leprosy (Hansen's disease) Mycobacterium leprae, Mycobacterium lepromatosis armadillos, monkeys, rabbits, mice mostly human-to-human direct contact, meat consumption
Leptospirosis Leptospira interrogans rats, mice, pigs, horses, goats, sheep, cattle, buffaloes, opossums, raccoons, mongooses, foxes, dogs direct or indirect contact with urine of infected animals 1616–20 New England infection; present day in the United States. Louping ill Louping ill virus sheep, red grouse, other mammals tick bite (primarily by Ixodes ricinus) First human case reported in 1934. Lyme disease (Lyme borreliosis) Borrelia burgdorferi deer, wolves, dogs, birds, rodents, rabbits, hares, reptiles tick bite
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus rodents exposure to urine, feces, or saliva
Marburg virus disease (Marburg viral haemorrhagic fever) Marburg virus Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus), primates contact with infected bat excreta, bushmeat consumption, or human-to-human transmission via bodily fluids (e.g., blood, saliva, vomit)