THE ANIMAL KINGDOM, A RESERVOIR OF HUMAN DISEASE

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Abstract
The relationship between the animal dispenser of disease and the human recipient is represented by a heterogenous infection chain. A detailed summary list of the known chains reflects the magnitude of the reservoir of infection in animals which is potentially dangerous to human beings. The following facts are noteworthy: The diseases of highly organized mammals unfavorably affect man''s health and, through their serious economic effects, his welfare; the majority of micro-organisms can infect a wide variety of animal spp.; with few exceptions, mammalian infections frequently are chronic and tend strongly to remain latent or subclinical; once a heterogenous chain is formed it seldom continues as a homogenous one or becomes again heterogenous; clinically and anatomically the disease in main is similar to that in animals; at least 75 diseases of domestic and wild animals are of potential public health significance. Recent epidemiologic advances related to the diseases selected for discussion[long dash]Salmonella infections, anthrax,plague, pasteurel-loses, pseudotuberculosis, rabies and rickettsial diseases, including Q fever[long dash]have increased knowledge of the nature and distribution of the disease, hosts capable of harboring and spreading a given parasite and preventive and therapeutic devices.
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