Emerging Infectious Diseases

A novel infection occurring from the evolution or alteration of an existing pathogen or parasite, resulting in a change of host range, vector, pathogenicity, or strain; or the appearance of a previously unrecognised infection or disease is classified as an emerging disease. A re-emerging disease is one that has already been identified but has changed its geographical setting, expanded its host range, or increased its prevalence dramatically. Pathogenic infectious diseases, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, and tick-borne infections, have emerged in the last two decades, posing a significant global threat to human health. A variety of underlying causal elements are linked to the emergence of anything new. Interactions with zoonotic pathogens in a host-parasite continuum involving wildlife, domestic animals, and humans are among them. Animals play an important role in the spread of zoonotic diseases. According to the CDC, animals are responsible for 75 percent of new or emerging diseases, and animals are also responsible for more than 60 percent of recognized infectious diseases in humans, such as the rabies virus, ringworm, and salmonella. This emphasizes the need for veterinary involvement in the fight against zoonotic infections.