Guidance

List of zoonotic diseases

Updated 21 January 2019

1. Zoonotic diseases found in the UK

Disease Organism Main reservoirs Usual mode of transmission to humans
Anthrax Bacillus anthracis livestock, wild animals, environment direct contact, ingestion, inhalation
Animal influenza Influenza A viruses pigs, other livestock, humans direct contact
Avian influenza Influenza A viruses poultry, ducks direct contact
Bovine tuberculosis Mycobacterium bovis cattle unpasteurised milk, exposure to tuberculous animals
Campylobacteriosis Campylobacter spp. poultry, farm animals direct animal contact, raw meat, milk
Cat scratch fever Bartonella henselae cats bite, scratch
Cowpox Cowpox virus rodents direct contact (usually with cats)
Cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidium spp cattle, sheep, pets contaminated water, direct contact
Cysticercosis / Taeniasis Taenia spp. cattle, pigs raw/undercooked meat
Erysipeloid Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae pigs, fish, environment direct contact, fomites, environment
Fish tank / swimming pool granuloma Mycobacterium marinum fish contact with fish or contaminated water
Giardiasis Giardia spp humans, wildlife contaminated water, ingestion
Haemorrhagic colitis and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) Shiga toxin-producing E. coli ruminants direct contact, foodborne
Hantavirus syndromes Hantaviruses rodents aerosolised excreta
Hepatitis E Hepatitis E virus pigs, wild boar, deer undercooked animal meats
Hydatid disease Echinococcus granulosus dogs, sheep ingestion of eggs excreted by dog
Leptospirosis Leptospira spp rodents, ruminants urine-contaminated water or direct contact
Listeriosis Listeria spp. cattle, sheep, soil dairy produce, meat products
Louping ill Louping ill virus sheep, grouse direct contact, tick bite
Lyme disease Borrelia burgdorferi ticks, rodents, deer, sheep, small mammals tick bite
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) rodents direct contact
Orf Orf virus sheep, goats direct contact
Ovine chlamydiosis Chlamydia abortus sheep, farm animals direct contact, aerosol
Pasteurellosis Pasteurella spp dogs, cats, many mammals bite/scratch, direct contact
Psittacosis Chlamydia psittaci psittacine birds, poultry, ducks aerosol, direct contact
Q fever Coxiella burnetii cattle, sheep, goats, cats aerosol, direct contact, products of conception, fomites
Rabies Rabies virus and other lyssaviruses bats only in the UK Bite or scratch
Rat bite fever Streptobacillus moniliformis rats bite/scratch, milk, water
Ringworm Dermatophyte fungi many animal species direct contact
Salmonellosis Salmonella spp. poultry, farm animals direct animal contact, raw meat, other raw foods
Streptococcal sepsis Streptococcus suis pigs direct contact, meat
Streptococcal sepsis Streptococcus zooepidemicus horses direct contact
Toxocariasis Toxocara canis/catis dogs, cats ingestion
Toxoplasmosis Toxoplasma gondii cats, ruminants ingestion of faecal oocysts, meat
Zoonotic diphtheria Corynebacterium ulcerans cattle, farm animals, dogs direct contact, milk

2. Selected zoonotic diseases exotic to the UK

Disease Organism Main reservoirs Usual mode of transmission to humans
Alveolar echinococcosis Echinococcus multilocularis foxes ingestion of eggs
Brucellosis Brucella spp. cattle, goats, sheep, pigs dairy products, milk
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) CCHF virus livestock, ticks tick bite, direct contact animal blood
Ebola virus disease Ebola virus unknown, possibly bats wild animals
Glanders Burkholderia mallei horse, donkey, mule direct contact, contaminated fomites, food and water
Hendra virus infection Hendra virus fruit bats, horses exposure to body fluids
Kyasanur Forest disease Kyasanur Forest virus rodents, shrews, and monkeys tick bite, direct animal contact
Lassa fever Lassa virus multimammate rat direct or indirect contact with infected rodent excreta
Marburg virus disease Marburg virus bats bats
MERS MERS Coronavirus dromedary camels direct and indirect contact
Monkeypox Monkeypox virus rodents direct contact
Nipah virus infection Nipah virus fruit bats contaminated date palm sap, close contact with infected pigs
Plague Yersinia pestis rats and their fleas flea bite, scratches or bites from infected cats
Rabies Rabies virus and other lyssaviruses dogs, foxes, bats, cats Bite or scratch
Rift Valley fever Rift Valley fever virus cattle, goats, sheep direct contact, mosquito bite
Tickborne encephalitis Tickborne encephalitis virus rodents, small mammals, livestock tick bite, unpasteurised milk products
Trichinellosis Trichinella spiralis pigs, wild boar undercooked or raw meat
Tularemia Francisella tularensis rabbits, wild animals, ticks, direct contact, aerosol, ticks, inoculation
West Nile virus infection West Nile virus wild birds, mosquitoes mosquito bite
Yellow fever Yellow fever virus monkeys mosquito bite