animalassociated

Animal-associated is an adjective used to indicate that a person, process, feature, or phenomenon is linked to animals rather than to humans, plants, or abiotic factors. In scientific writing the term appears in phrases such as animal-associated pathogens, animal-associated microbiota, or animal-associated habitats. It is used across disciplines including biology, medicine, veterinary science, ecology, and anthropology to describe relationships involving animals.

In epidemiology, animal-associated terms describe diseases that originate in animals and may be transmitted to humans, known as zoonoses, as well as infections that occur primarily in animal populations. In microbiology and genomics, an animal-associated microbiome refers to microbial communities found in or on animals and distinct from human-associated or environmental microbiomes. In ecology, the concept denotes processes that involve animals, such as animal-mediated seed dispersal or dung-based nutrient cycling. In public health and occupational health, animal-associated exposure refers to contact with animals or animal products that can influence health outcomes, including allergies, bites, or zoonotic risks.

Usage notes: hyphenation is common in formal writing (animal-associated); the closed form animalassociated is less standard and may appear only in indexing or search queries. The term is broad and purposefully non-specific, so it is typically clarified by the noun it modifies. See also zoonoses, animal welfare, wildlife ecology, and veterinary medicine.