Guarding Against Animal-Borne Diseases

World Zoonoses Day on July 6 serves as both a tribute and a warning. While we commemorate Louis Pasteur’s first successful rabies vaccination in 1885, we must also recognize how zoonotic diseases continue to threaten global health. In India, this danger hits closest to home. Our 1.4 billion people share living spaces with nearly 500 million animals, from street dogs to dairy cattle, creating the perfect storm for disease transmission.
India’s unique ecological landscape makes it particularly vulnerable to zoonotic diseases transmission. This unique ecological relationship, combining dense human settlements with extensive livestock rearing and rich wildlife habitats, provides numerous pathways for pathogens to cross species barriers. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 60% of all known human infectious diseases and 75% of emerging pathogens originate from animals, highlighting the critical intersection of human, animal, and environmental health.
The rabies epidemic exemplifies this crisis. Despite being completely preventable, rabies continues to claim lives through dog bites, which account for 99% of human transmissions. Tragically, 40% of victims are children under 15 years old. Recent government data reveals the staggering scale of this problem: 3.7 million dog bite cases recorded across India in 2024 alone, resulting in 54 confirmed rabies deaths. Each case represents a preventable tragedy, underscoring the critical gaps in public awareness, animal vaccination programs, and access to post-exposure treatment.
Zoonotic diseases pose a significant threat to human health in India, spreading through three primary pathways that expose millions to infection daily. Direct contact with infected animals remains a major concern, with India accounting for 36% of global rabies deaths, primarily through dog bites, while Nipah virus outbreaks linked to bat secretions continue to emerge in high-risk zones like Kerala. Contaminated substances equally endanger public health, as seen in recurring hepatitis E outbreaks during monsoon floods, affecting thousands through polluted water, and Salmonella infections from unpasteurized dairy products causing widespread foodborne illness.
Additionally, vector-borne transmission escalates risks nationwide—ticks in forested regions spread Kyasanur Forest Disease among farmers and tribal communities, while mosquitoes perpetuate malaria hotspots in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. With 75% of emerging infectious diseases originating in animals, India’s ecological pressures—urbanization, deforestation, and climate-linked floods—are amplifying human-animal contact, creating ideal conditions for outbreaks. This convergence of factors demands urgent reinforcement of surveillance under India’s One Health Mission, alongside public awareness on safe animal handling, food hygiene, and vector control to mitigate this growing health crisis.
India is bolstering its defenses against zoonotic diseases through the One Health strategy, which unites medical professionals, veterinarians, public health experts, and research scientists to enable early outbreak detection and prevention. Key initiatives like the National Digital Livestock Mission for animal health monitoring and nationwide rabies vaccination drives demonstrate this integrated approach in action. Complementing these efforts, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has established a network of Infectious Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (IRDLs) across government institutes to enhance disease surveillance and diagnostics. Together, these programs create a comprehensive defense system safeguarding both animal and human populations from emerging health threats.
The success of Kerala’s Nipah containment demonstrates how India’s National One Health Mission enhances outbreak prevention through integrated monitoring of human, animal, and environmental health. Simple yet effective practices—avoiding contact with sick strays, maintaining cleanliness in animal-occupied spaces, and joining local vaccination efforts—can dramatically lower disease transmission in a nation where 70% of households regularly interact with animals. From government-led surveillance to household-level precautions, this multi-layered strategy represents our most effective shield against diseases that transmit from animals to humans.
India’s rising threat of zoonotic diseases requires urgent action at both personal and community levels. Pet owners should ensure annual rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats, along with regular deworming to prevent parasitic infections. Farmers and livestock workers must adopt protective measures—wearing gloves and masks when handling animals significantly reduces exposure to dangerous pathogens, while boiling milk prior to consumption eliminates harmful bacteria like Salmonella and Mycobacterium. For the general public, thorough cooking of meat and drinking filtered water are essential safeguards against food and waterborne infections.
As we observe World Zoonoses Day, we must recognize that human and animal health are inextricably linked. Simple but consistent actions—from vaccinating pets and maintaining hygiene to supporting community health programs—can prevent needless suffering. Through collaborative efforts across sectors, India can create a healthier future where people and animals thrive together, free from preventable diseases.
(Author is a veterinarian and Independent Researcher. Email: [email protected])