reverse zoonosis

noun

plural reverse zoonoses

: an infection or disease that is transmissible from humans to animals under natural conditions

But what about the opposite scenario: so-called "reverse zoonoses" which are diseases that humans can pass on to pets?—

Pete Wedderburn

also : the process of transmitting infection or disease from humans to animals

This finding suggests reverse zoonosis of influenza viruses from humans to dromedaries. —

Daniel K. W. Chu et al.

called also anthroponosis, zooanthroponosis

compare zoonosis

reverse zoonotic adjective

reverse zoonotic disease transmission

Examples of reverse zoonosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Diseases can also travel in the other direction, in what is called reverse zoonosis. —

Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2024 Pandemics like the 1918 Flu and the recent COVID-19 outbreak derived from a zoonotic and reverse zoonosis process. —

Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2024 When pathogens spread from human to animals, it’s called reverse zoonoses. —

Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 30 Apr. 2024 And the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has mentioned the possibility of reverse zoonosis — the virus moving from people into animal in Europe and gaining a foothold there. —

Helen Branswell, STAT, 4 June 2022 Another theory is known as reverse zoonosis, Venter added. —

Michael Nedelman, CNN, 1 Apr. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of reverse zoonosis was in 1965

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Reverse zoonosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reverse%20zoonosis. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.

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