A panzootic is the animal equivalent of a pandemic: a disease that infects a high proportion of individuals across a wide area, such as a whole continent. It is a step up from an epizootic, in which the area affected is more limited.
What's an example of a panzootic?
One example is avian influenza H5N1, or bird flu. Having originated in south-east Asia 20 years ago, it is now present on all continents, including Antarctica. H5N1 has also been transmitted to non-avian species such as pigs, bears and cattle, raising the possibility that this panzootic might yet become a pandemic.
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Main image: Northern gannets populations have been decimated by the bird flu panzootic. Credit: Getty