Which term describes an animal disease that can be transmitted to humans?

The term that specifically describes an animal disease that can be transmitted to humans is zoonosis. This concept encompasses a wide variety of diseases that are naturally transmissible between animals and humans, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. Understanding zoonotic diseases is crucial in public health, as they can pose significant risks to human health and may emerge in the context of changing ecosystems, wildlife dynamics, and human-animal interactions.

The study of zoonoses includes identifying the pathways of transmission, the types of animals involved, and the impact on various populations. Zoonotic diseases are also of particular concern in veterinary medicine and wildlife management, as well as in the field of epidemiology, where they can be linked to outbreaks in human populations.

The other options do not fit the definition of diseases that transmit from animals to humans. While epidemiology is the study of disease distribution and determinants in populations, and etiology is the study of the causes of diseases, animalosis is not a recognized term within the scientific community. Therefore, zoonosis is the most accurate term to describe diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.