The Nipah virus has once again reared its head in Kerala, and even while the State grapples with infections, other zoonotic diseases (diseases that spread between animals and humans) — including Mpox and avian influenza — may have disappeared temporarily from the news, but continue to be of concern in several countries.
Time to find out how much you know about zoonoses!
Science Quiz: On zoonotic diseases
The World Health Organization backed the widespread rollout of this vaccine in October 2021
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About 60% of emerging infectious diseases that are reported globally are zoonoses. Is the following statement true or false: Some zoonotic diseases only spread from animals to humans and don’t spread from person to person.
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An epidemic of this zoonotic disease, beginning in Bombay in 1896, led to outbreaks across many parts of India, killing millions over the next few decades. It is spread through the bite of infected fleas that travel on rodents. What was it?
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After the terrorist 9/11 attacks in the United States, letters laced with spores began arriving in the U.S. mail. This led to five deaths and illnesses in 17 people. What zoonotic disease did they cause?
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This mosquito-borne zoonotic disease is named after a country in Asia. It is vaccine preventable but continues to remain a significant public health problem in India. Name the country and the disease.
Answer : Japan, Japanese Encephalitis
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A zoonotic influenza caused a pandemic in 2009, and has now become a seasonal flu. Colloquially known as swine flu, what is its medical name?
Answer : H1N1 or A H1N1, a type of influenza A virus
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The image shows a vaccine for an ancient zoonotic disease. Vaccines have been in development for it since the 1960s but it was only in October 2021 that the WHO recommended the widespread use of the RTS,S/AS01 (RTS,S) vaccine for children. What is the disease and what is it caused by?
Answer : Malaria, caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium
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Published – July 16, 2025 08:08 pm IST
