anthroponosis

noun

an·​thro·​po·​no·​sis ˌan-thrə-pə-ˈnō-səs 

plural anthroponoses ˌan-thrə-pə-ˈnō-ˌsēz 

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

ˌan-thrə-pə-ˈnä-tik 

adjective

anthroponotic disease

anthroponotic transmission

Word History

Etymology

anthropo- + -nosis (in zoonosis)

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for anthroponosis

• amyloidosis
• anaplasmosis
• anastomosis
• aponeurosis
• apotheosis
• aspergillosis
• blastomycosis
• coccidiosis
• cryptococcosis
• cysticercosis
• endocytosis
• exocytosis

Medical Definition

anthroponosis

noun

an·​thro·​po·​no·​sis ˌan-thrə-pə-ˈnō-səs 

plural anthroponoses -ˈnō-ˌsēz 

1

: an infection or disease that is transmissible from humans to animals under natural conditions

… human-adapted variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus have infected numerous suitable carnivore hosts and caused lethal disease in at least one species, the American mink. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 infection may also be categorized as an anthroponosis … which may pose particular risk to carnivore species with distributions that overlap human-dominated landscapes, or species that occur in zoos.

—Barbara A. Han et al., Trends in Parasitology

also : the process of transmitting infection or disease from humans to animals

Anthroponosis has been found on every continent. For example, humans have transmitted tuberculosis to elephants in zoos, circuses and parks in the United States and France. … This particular mycobacterium anthroponosis is further encouraged by daily contact among captive elephants, vets, caretakers and the viewing public.

—Piers Beirne, The British Journal of Criminology

called also reverse zoonosis, zooanthroponosis

2

: an infection or disease that is transmitted between people

… Carrión's disease is not a zoonosis, but rather an anthroponosis, as a nonhuman animal reservoir of B. bacilliformis has never been identified.

—James M. Battisti et al., PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

anthroponotic

-ˈnä-tik 

adjective

anthroponotic transmission