Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Disease Laws

Emerging infectious diseases are infections that have increased recently or are threatening to increase in the near future. These infections could be

• Completely new (like Bourbon virus, which was recently discovered in Kansas or MERS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome).
• Completely new to an area (like chikungunya in Florida).
• Reappearing in an area (like dengue in south Florida and Texas).
• Caused by bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics, like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), C. difficile, or drug-resistant TB.

Zoonotic infectious diseases are spread from animals to humans by ticks, mosquitoes, or fleas or contact with animals; some examples include

• Lyme disease (spread by ticks)
• Salmonella (spread by poultry)
• Rabies (spread by mammals)

In the United States, emerging and zoonotic infectious diseases are controlled by a combination of state and federal and state laws. The resources below evaluate and explain emerging and zoonotic infectious disease laws on the following diseases or disease vectors:

• State Laws Requiring Hand Sanitation Stations at Animal Contact Exhibits — United States, March-April, 2016 [PDF – 178KB]
  Disease transmission linked to petting zoos, agricultural fairs, and other animal contact exhibits continues to be a public health threat in the United States and can be avoided by proper hand washing after contact with animals. Some states have used the law as a public health intervention to reduce disease outbreaks associated with animal contact exhibits. This article summarizes the results of a 50-state legal assessment that collected and analyzed state statutes and regulations requiring hand sanitation stations at animal contact exhibits. [Hoss A, Basler C, Stevenson L, Gambino-Shirley K, Park Robyn M, Nichols M. State laws requiring hand sanitation stations at animal contact exhibits. United States, March‒April 2016. MMWR 2017;66:16‒18.]
• Menu of State Hand Sanitation Laws for Animal Contact Exhibits [PDF – 554KB]
  Animals at petting zoos and agricultural fairs can be carriers of pathogens, such as Escherichia coli. Disease outbreaks at animal contact exhibits can be prevented by handwashing after contact with animals and keeping food and beverage away from exhibits. This menu assesses and provides examples of state animal contact exhibit hand sanitation laws.
  • Animal Contact Exhibit Hand Sanitation Station Legal Assessment Research Procedure [PDF – 165 KB]
• Menu of State Turtle-Associated Salmonellosis Laws [PDF – 1MB]
  Turtles are often carriers of salmonella, which can cause serious salmonellosis infections in humans, particularly among vulnerable populations such as young children and the elderly. In recent years, salmonellosis outbreaks linked to pet turtles have increased throughout the United States. This menu addresses state and territorial laws regarding the sale of turtles, as well as other laws that limit turtle use and distribution.

Learn more about emerging and zoonotic diseases by visiting CDC’s National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.