Mongabay · Climate & nature

Exotic Pet Trade Increases Zoonotic Disease Risk in India

The growing exotic pet trade in India is raising concerns about the increased risk of zoonotic disease transmission between animals and humans.

Veterinarians treating imported and seized exotic animals, like Dr. Rina Dev who was hospitalized with a lung infection, highlight the direct risks. Diseases such as avian chlamydiosis (psittacosis) from birds, salmonellosis from reptiles, and tuberculosis from primates are commonly carried by traded animals.

The close relationship between humans and primates makes disease transfer particularly easy, with examples like Ebola and HIV originating from nonhuman primates.

A global analysis indicates that traded mammals are 1.5 times more likely to share pathogens with humans than non-traded mammals. It's estimated that 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, with hundreds of thousands of unknown viruses in birds and mammals potentially infecting people.

Zoonotic risks are amplified in public settings like pet cafes and petting zoos, posing significant public health challenges.

First responders and customs officials often lack adequate protective equipment during wildlife seizures, and illegally trafficked animals bypass necessary quarantine procedures.

Efforts to address this issue within the One Health framework, which emphasizes interconnected human, wildlife, and environmental health, have not yet received sufficient response or investment.

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