With this information sheet FVE aims to help people better understand how infectious diseases emerge and spread between individuals of the same species and between different species.
Furthermore, it provides evidence-based information on infectious diseases and their relationship with animal husbandry and food production systems.
Animals and humans share environments. Potentially infectious agents are present in all living creatures: from single-celled protozoa to human beings. Well-known examples of infectious agents are viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.