Network structure of domestic mammal hosts and zoonotic bacteria: implications for pathogen transmission

Zoonotic diseases account for 75% of emerging infectious diseases, posing significant global health challenges. Understanding the complex host-pathogen interactions is crucial for effective disease management. This study constructs and analyses a global bipartite network of zoonotic bacteria and their domestic mammal hosts, aiming to explore how domestication time and phylogenetic relationships influence network structure. The network, consisting of 24 domestic mammal species and 51 zoonotic bacterial species, reveals a non-random structure with high nestedness and low modularity. Results indicate that the richness of zoonotic bacteria per host is positively correlated with domestication time but not with phylogenetic distance from humans. These findings suggest that early-domesticated species act as ”sinks” for newly exposed zoonotic bacteria, driven by preferential attachment dynamics. This network-level insight provides a valuable framework for predicting and managing zoonotic disease transmission, emphasising the importance of targeted interventions for highly connected host species.