zoonosis
noun
zoo·no·sis
zō-ˈä-nə-səs 
ˌzō-ə-ˈnō-səs
ˌzō-ə-ˈnō-səs
plural zoonoses
zō-ˈä-nə-ˌsēz
ˌzō-ə-ˈnō-ˌsēz
: an infection or disease that is transmissible from animals to humans under natural conditions
Among the zoonoses associated with dogs, cats, and birds, those with diarrhea as a predominant manifestation include cryptosporidiosis, giardiasis, campylobacteriosis, and salmonellosis.—
Peter Jesselet et al.
Peter Jesselet et al.
also
: an infection or disease that is transmissible between animals and humans
bidirectional zoonosis
see also reverse zoonosis
zoonotic
adjective
a zoonotic infection/disease
A zoonotic virus is a virus that lives naturally in an animal and can infect human cells, perhaps mutating slightly in the course of passage, which enables the virus to start a chain of infection through human hosts.
—Richard Preston
Richard Preston
Examples of zoonosis in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Virology authors warn that the vilification of scientists whose research supports the zoonosis hypothesis will leave society defenseless when the next pandemic threat emerges.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
Even though the consequences were globally devastating, scientists have primarily focused on the zoonosis process.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2024
It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
advertisement
(Note: A zoonosis or zoonotic event is the infection of a person with an animal virus, in this case H5N1.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024
Ebright further accused Andersen and Garry of perjury, based on their denials at a congressional hearing in July that Fauci pressured them to advocate for the zoonosis theory in their paper.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for zoonosis 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
Even though the consequences were globally devastating, scientists have primarily focused on the zoonosis process.
—Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2024
It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
advertisement
(Note: A zoonosis or zoonotic event is the infection of a person with an animal virus, in this case H5N1.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 5 Apr. 2024
Ebright further accused Andersen and Garry of perjury, based on their denials at a congressional hearing in July that Fauci pressured them to advocate for the zoonosis theory in their paper.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for zoonosis
Dictionary Entries Near zoonosis
Cite this Entry
“Zoonosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zoonosis. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
zoonosis
noun
zoo·no·sis
ˌzō-ə-ˈnō-səs
zō-ˈän-ə-səs
zō-ˈän-ə-səs
plural zoonoses
-ˌsēz
: an infection or disease that is transmissible from animals to humans under natural conditions
also
: an infection or disease that is transmissible between animals and humans
bidirectional zoonosis
zoonotic
adjective
Q fever, a febrile, zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution, typically results from exposure to domestic livestock animals …
—David R. Franz et al., The Journal of the American Medical Association
David R. Franz et al., The Journal of the American Medical Association
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share