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.
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
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
Roger S. NasciCite this Entry
“Anthroponosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anthroponosis. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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