ZOONOTIC BACTERIAL INFECTIONS: EPIDEMIOLOGY, KEY PATHOGENS, AND CONTROL IN A ONE HEALTH FRAMEWORK

Bacterial zoonoses—diseases that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and humans—remain a major yet under-recognized contributor to global disease burden. They account for a substantial fraction of emerging and re-emerging infections and are closely linked to environmental change, expanding and intensifying animal production systems, globalization of trade and travel, and antimicrobial use across human and animal sectors. Important zoonotic bacteria include Salmonella spp, Campylobacter spp., Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Brucella spp, Leptospira, Yersinia pestis, Coxiella burnetii, Bacillus anthracis, and others. This review outlines the concept and burden of zoonotic bacterial infections; presents a comparative table of approximate incidence and prevalence worldwide, in South Asia, and in Central Asia; summarizes epidemiology and clinical features of key pathogens; discusses antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in a One Health context; and highlights priorities for surveillance, prevention, and control, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).