Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to navigation Skip directly to page options Skip directly to site content

About Enteric Zoonotic Diseases

Gastrointestinal (Enteric) Diseases from Animals

Enteric zoonotic diseases are diseases that affect your stomach or intestines and are spread between animals and people. Enteric zoonotic diseases are caused by germs, including Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacterbacteria. These germs can cause illness in your stomach and intestines (enteric or gastrointestinal illness), with symptoms like diarrhea, fever, or stomach cramps.

  • Enteric: relating to stomach and intestines
  • Zoonotic: spread between animals and people

Animals provide entertainment, support, education, and so much more. However, some animals, even when they appear healthy and clean, can carry germs that can make people sick. For more information about other diseases that spread between animals and people, visit the CDC One Health page.

 

Enteric diseases can spread between animals and people in two main ways:

Children at zoo feeding giraffe

Learn more about Enteric Zoonoses Activity, the group at CDC that investigates enteric zoonotic diseases.

Direct Contact

  • Coming into contact with the saliva, blood, urine, nasal secretions, feces or other body fluids of an infected animal.
  • Direct contact may include petting, touching, or caring for animals, or when an animal bites or scratches a person.

Indirect Contact

  • Coming into contact with areas where animals live and roam, or objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with these germs.
  • Indirect contact may include touching pet habitats or items in these areas, such as aquarium tank water, animal bedding, or food and water dishes.

Who is more likely to get a serious illness from zoonotic diseases?

Anyone can become sick from an enteric zoonotic disease, including healthy people. However, some people may be more likely than others to get sick from certain zoonotic diseases. These groups of people include:

Children under the age of 5

Pregnant Women

Adults over the age of 65

Anyone with a weakened immune system – for example, someone with HIV or a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy

Related Links

TOP