ANNALS OF ANIMAL RESOURCE SCIENCES (동물자원연구)

Institute of Animal Life Science (강원대학교 동물생명과학연구소)
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Biological Mechanisms and Risk Assessment of Reverse Zoonosis Between Humans and Pets: A Comprehensive Review from a One Health Perspective (Review)

인간-반려동물 간 역인수공통감염의 생물학적 기전과 위험 평가: One Health 관점의 종합적 고찰(총설)

  • Yeonji Ra (National Institute of Animal Science) ;
  • Dayun Lee (National Institute of Animal Science) ;
  • Sung-Jin Lee (Department of Applied Animal Science, College of Animal Life Sciences, Kangwon National University)
  • 라연지 (국립축산과학원) ;
  • 이다윤 (국립축산과학원) ;
  • 이성진 (강원대학교 동물생명과학대학 동물응용과학과 )
  • Received : 2026.01.26
  • Accepted : 2026.03.09
  • Published : 2026.03.31
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Abstract

Despite the shared living environments between humans and pets, the interspecies transmission of most infectious diseases is restricted by complex biological barriers, such as pathogen-host coevolution, species-specific receptors, and distinct differences in immune systems. However, since the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, the frequent reporting of reverse zoonotic transmission-the spillover of pathogens from humans to companion animals-revealss the limitations of traditional concepts regarding the species barrier. This review provides a systematic analysis of the biological mechanisms of the species barrier, focusing on pathogen host-adaptation, receptor-binding specificity, and differences in innate and adaptive immune responses. Furthermore, it reclassifies confirmed cases of reverse zoonosis in major companion animals, including dogs and cats, within a risk assessment framework based on specific infection stages. By conceptualizing human-companion animal infection not as isolated incidents but as events occurring along a biological continuum, this study emphasizes the necessity for integrated surveillance and response strategies from a One Health perspective. This approach is expected to mitigate unnecessary social anxiety, prevent the emergence of novel variants at an early stage, and contribute to the establishment of a comprehensive management system for infectious diseases that encompasses both public and animal health.

인간과 반려동물은 동일한 생활 환경을 공유함에도 불구하고, 대부분의 감염병은 병원체-숙주 공동 진화, 종 특이적 수용체, 면역 체계 차이에 의해 종 간 전파가 제한되어 왔다. 그러나 SARS-CoV-2(COVID-19) 팬데믹 이후 인간에서 반려동물로 병원체가 전파되는 역인수공통감염(reverse zoonosis) 사례가 다수 보고되며 기존 종 장벽 개념의 한계가 드러났다. 본 리뷰는 병원체의 숙주 적응 기전, 수용체 결합 특이성, 선천 및 적응 면역 반응 차이를 중심으로 종 장벽의 생물학적 기전을 체계적으로 고찰하고, 개·고양이 등 주요 반려동물에서 확인된 역인수공통감염 사례를 감염 단계별 위험 평가 틀로 재분류하였다. 또한 인간-반려동물 간 감염을 단절된 사건이 아닌 생물학적 연속선상에서 이해함으로써, One Health 관점의 통합적 감시·대응 전략의 필요성을 제시하였다. 이러한 접근은 불필요한 사회적 불안을 완화하는 동시에 신종 변이 출현 가능성을 조기에 차단하고, 공중보건과 동물보건을 아우르는 감염병 관리 체계 구축에 기여할 것으로 기대된다.

Keywords

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