From the U.S. Government Accountability Office, www.gao.gov

Transcript for: Zoonotic Diseases

Description: There are more than 200 known zoonotic disease-those caused
by pathogens that spread between animals and humans.  Domestically,
zoonotic disease risk can come from U.S. wildlife and animals imported
from abroad.  Federal agencies are developing a surveillance system to
detect zoonotic diseases in U.S. wildlife.  They could do more to
improve collaboration.

Related GAO Works: GAO-23-105238 - Zoonotic Diseases: Federal Actions
Needed to Improve Surveillance and Better Assess Human Health Risks
Posed by Wildlife


Released: May 2023

Zoonotic diseases are caused by pathogens that spread between animals
and humans.    For example, "bird flu" has spread around the
world--infecting a small number of humans.  

Outbreaks including HIV/AIDS and SARS likely originated in animals and
spread to humans. Zoonotic diseases can come from wildlife in the U.S.
and animals imported from abroad.  Federal agencies are developing a
surveillance system to detect such diseases in domestic wildlife.  As
they develop this system, the agencies could do more to improve
collaboration--including sharing more information on emerging wildlife
diseases.  We recommended that they address these and other concerns.

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For more info, check out our report GAO-23-105238 at: GAO.gov