What is an example of a zoonotic disease?

An example of a zoonotic disease is rabies because it is an infectious disease that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Rabies is caused by the rabies virus, typically spread through bites from infected animals, particularly bats, dogs, and raccoons, where it affects the central nervous system and can lead to severe health issues or death if not treated promptly.

Zoonotic diseases are crucial to understand in veterinary medicine since they highlight the importance of preventing animal diseases that can impact human health. In contrast, leptospirosis is also zoonotic, but rabies is often more widely recognized due to its severity and the public health campaigns surrounding it. Parvovirus primarily affects dogs and does not transfer to humans, making it non-zoonotic. Similarly, coccidia are protozoan parasites that affect various animals but do not have zoonotic potential. Thus, rabies serves as a poignant example of a disease that underscores the critical relationship between veterinary practice and public health.