Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

What term describes diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans?

1. Infectious diseases

2. Zoonoses

3. Endangered diseases

4. Contagious diseases

The correct answer is: Zoonoses

The term that describes diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans is zoonoses. Zoonotic diseases originate from various animal species and can pose significant public health risks when they cross the species barrier to infect humans. Examples of zoonoses include rabies, West Nile virus, and certain strains of influenza that can be transmitted from birds or pigs to humans. In contrast, infectious diseases are a broader category that includes any disease caused by pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, affecting both humans and animals but does not specifically refer to the animal-human transmission aspect. Endangered diseases and contagious diseases do not apply in this context: endangered diseases would refer to diseases affecting species that are at risk of extinction, while contagious diseases specifically relate to diseases that spread from person to person rather than from animals to humans. This distinction highlights why zoonoses is the most accurate term in this context.