The burden of some of the most common zoonoses in primary care: a population-based study in Italy

These findings suggest that improved surveillance and greater awareness among healthcare providers should support general practitioner-veterinarian interactions to minimize zoonosis transmission, especially for immunodeficient and frail older patients. Main messagesDogs and cats, which are frequently found in Italian families, constitute a reservoir of zoonotic infective agents.Zoonoses in humans are rarely systematically recorded using surveillance systems and there are no dedicated surveillance systems in Italy for zoonotic diseases, especially for primary care.The most common zoonoses in Italian primary care settings were Lyme disease and rickettsioses.The proportion of zoonoses increased with frailty levels in older adults and was almost double in those with immunodeficiencies relative to the general population.Enhancing knowledge and establishing dedicated monitoring systems within primary healthcare, as well as interdisciplinary collaboration between general practitioners and veterinarians, are essential for the prevention and control of zoonotic diseases.