Diseases of plants transmissible between plants and man (phytonoses) exist.
Since zoonoses (singular zoonosis) are infections or infectious diseases of animals transmissible to man, or occasionally from man to other animal species, it is logical that should any diseases of plants be found that are transmissible between plants and man they should be termed phytonoses (singular phytonosis). The genome of human uveitis mycoplasma-like organisms (MLO) has been reported to be showing a very high homology to plant MLO. For this reason, and because there are several other known similarities between plant and human MLO, it is hypothesized that at least one class of phytonoses, namely cross-infection of MLO between plants and man, exists. There are, however, other possibilities. Cross-infection transmission experiments, the results of which could add credibility to the hypothesis, could be undertaken.
van der Riet
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FD
Department of Medical Microbiology, Medical School, University of Cape Town, Observatory, South Africa.
D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious; D006801:Humans; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000235:genetics; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D014605:Uveitis / Q000382:microbiology