What causes zootonic diseases ?

[ronki23]

I was told diseases like Covid 19, SARS, MERS, Swine Flu, Bird Flu and Ebola are from coming into contact with wild animals such as with live food markets. But if you don't necessarily have to eat the animals then wouldn't zoos, farms and pet shops get it too ? People have to feed and clean the animals so wouldn't zoo handlers, farmers and pet shop workers/ pet owners get it too ?

 

[McBell]

What causes zootonic diseases ?

mutations

 

[sun rise]

All that's needed is a virus or bacteria that can infect humans and other animals and some form of contact - direct or indirect. The more contact there is, the easier it is for such illnesses to spread.

 

[exchemist]

I was told diseases like Covid 19, SARS, MERS, Swine Flu, Bird Flu and Ebola are from coming into contact with wild animals such as with live food markets. But if you don't necessarily have to eat the animals then wouldn't zoos, farms and pet shops get it too ? People have to feed and clean the animals so wouldn't zoo handlers, farmers and pet shop workers/ pet owners get it too ?

In principle, yes. That, I think, is how we get new strains of 'flu', and how we got MERS.

 

[Secret Chief]

The more species you have in close proximity (in appalling conditions) the greater the chance of transference of a virus from one species to another (including of course humans).
Farmed/domesticated/zoo animals are usually ones that get medicated against diseases and typically are only in contact with others of the same species (or a limited number + humans).
A wet market (wet because of the washing away of the blood) are heaven on earth for pathogens. If they were closed down, I imagine the trade would just go to a black market.

 

[ronki23]

I was told that zoo animals need to be quarantined first for 3 weeks? Is that true ?

As for consumption: how did we know chickens, pigs and cows were safe to eat?

@exchemist @Secret Chief @sun rise

@Mestemia

 

[shunyadragon]

I was told diseases like Covid 19, SARS, MERS, Swine Flu, Bird Flu and Ebola are from coming into contact with wild animals such as with live food markets. But if you don't necessarily have to eat the animals then wouldn't zoos, farms and pet shops get it too ? People have to feed and clean the animals so wouldn't zoo handlers, farmers and pet shop workers/ pet owners get it too ?

Not all of zoonotic viruses come from wild animals. MERS comes from camels via bats, and bird flues come from domestic poultry, and in migratory birds such as geese. Yes, farmers and others handling domestic poultry get bird flu and spread it. Swine flu comes from Swine production.