Illegal and Legal Wildlife Trade Spreads Zoonotic Diseases

Abstract

Parasites do not read legal documents. They cannot distinguish between animals or animal products that are traded with or without permits. Bezerra-Santos et al. [1] discussed the potential risks that the illegal wildlife trade has on the spreading and emergence of zoonotic pathogens. They highlight open wildlife (‘wet’) markets, the illegal transport of wildlife or their derivatives, as well as the illegal importation of exotic pets and the risk of zoonotic pathogens in the spread and introduction of diseases.