Module 08 - Basic Diseases and the Animal Facility

Routes of Infection

There are just a few portals of entry into an animal for infectious agents. The two most common are by inhalation into the lungs and by ingestion through the mouth into the gastrointestinal tract. Inoculation through the skin represents a special case (e.g., insects or needles). In these cases, the disease may spread beyond the skin. Some diseases are sexually transmitted. Occasionally, infection of the skin, eyes or ears may result in disease spreading beyond these organs.