Zoonoses are diseases and / or infections transmissible from animals to humans.
The man can become infected following direct contact with infected animals (bites and scratches) or indirect with materials contaminated by them (saliva, faeces, urine, blood and other body fluids).
The risk of infection also exists through the environment and the consumption of food of animal origin (especially meat and dairy products) and contaminated drinking water.
Furthermore, numerous zoonotic diseases are transmitted by vector organisms that transport infectious agents (bacteria and related toxins, fungi, viruses and parasites) from animals to humans.
Examples of zoonoses are: rabies, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis, giardiasis, brucellosis, salmonellosis and some viral haemorrhagic fevers.
