What does the term zoonosis refer to?

The term zoonosis specifically refers to diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans. This concept highlights the interaction between wildlife, domestic animals, and human populations, illustrating how certain pathogens can cross species barriers, often leading to new health concerns for people. For example, diseases like rabies, West Nile virus, and certain types of influenza are all considered zoonotic because they originate in animals and can infect humans.

Understanding zoonosis is crucial in epidemiology and public health, as it forms a significant part of how infectious diseases can emerge or re-emerge within human populations. This is particularly relevant in the context of increasing human-animal interactions and environmental changes that may facilitate the spread of these diseases.

The other options focus either on human-to-human transmission, which does not define zoonosis, or describe lethal infections without considering the transmission aspect, lacking the specificity that the term zoonosis entails.