Top 8
The CDC’s 8 Most Concerning Zoonotic Diseases in the United States
Pathogen(s)
Influenza A viruses (e.g., H1N1 or H5N1)
Involved Animals
Pigs, wild birds, or poultry (e.g., chickens)
Transmission
Close contact with infected animals or subsequently infected people
Signs & Symptoms
Salmonellosis
Pathogen(s)
Salmonella bacteria
Involved Animals
Livestock (e.g., cattle or poultry)
Transmission
Consumption of undercooked or unwashed eggs, meat, vegetables, or other foods contaminated with feces
Signs & Symptoms
West Nile fever
Pathogen(s)
West Nile virus
Involved Animals
Wild birds or horses
Transmission
Mosquito bite
Signs & Symptoms
Plague
Pathogen(s)
Yersinia pestis bacterium
Involved Animals
Wild rodents or cats
Transmission
Flea bite
Signs & Symptoms
Emerging coronaviruses
Pathogen(s)
Coronaviruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2 or MERS-CoV)
Involved Animals
Bats, camels, or civets
Transmission
Close contact with infected animals or subsequently infected people
Signs & Symptoms
Rabies
Pathogen(s)
Rabies lyssavirus
Involved Animals
Dogs, cats, bats, cattle, horses, raccoons, or skunks
Transmission
Animal bites or scratches
Signs & Symptoms
Brucellosis
Pathogen(s)
Brucella bacteria
Involved Animals
Cattle, bison, elk, or wild swine
Transmission
Consumption of infected milk products or direct contact with infected animals
Signs & Symptoms
Lyme disease
Pathogen(s)
Borrelia burgdorferi bacterium
Involved Animals
Mice, deer, birds, lizards, or dogs
Transmission
Tick bite
Signs & Symptoms
Sources
Bauerfeind, R., Von Graevenitz, A., Kimmig, P., Schiefer, H. G., Schwarz, T., Slenczka, W., & Zahner, H. (Eds.). (2016). Zoonoses: Infectious Diseases Transmissible Between Animals and Humans. ASM Press. (Original work published 2013)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, & U.S. Department of the Interior. (2019). Prioritizing Zoonotic Diseases for Multisectoral, One Health Collaboration in the United States: Workshop Summary. https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/pdfs/us-ohzdp-report-508.pdf