anthroponosis

noun

an·​thro·​po·​no·​sis ˌan-thrə-pə-ˈnō-səs How to pronounce anthroponosis (audio)
plural anthroponoses ˌan-thrə-pə-ˈnō-ˌsēz How to pronounce anthroponosis (audio)
1
: an infection or disease that is transmissible from humans to animals under natural conditions
The close contact between baboons and humans results in a high potential for the transmission of infectious diseases, from baboons to humans (zoonoses) and from humans to baboons (anthroponoses).Julian A. Drewe et al.
also : the process of transmitting infection or disease from humans to animals
The MERS coronavirus, for example, jumped from bats to camels to people. Reverse zoonosis, or anthroponosis, is the process of a pathogen going in the other direction, from humans to animals. Michael Kohn

called also reverse zoonosis, zooanthroponosis

2
: an infection or disease that is transmitted between people
Like dengue, epidemic chikungunya is an anthroponosis that does not require a nonhuman vertebrate amplifier host. This means that the estimated 3.6 billion persons in 124 countries at risk for dengue are at risk for chikungunya.Roger S. Nasci
anthroponotic adjective
anthroponotic disease
anthroponotic transmission

Word History

Etymology

anthropo- + -nosis (in zoonosis)

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anthroponosis was in 1962

Dictionary Entries Near anthroponosis

Cite this Entry

“Anthroponosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthroponosis. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!