Research overview: disease exposure in leopards at the human-wildlife interface

Leopards are remarkably adaptable, often living close to people and domestic animals, which exposes them to pathogens at the human-wildlife interface. This overview surveys disease in leopards, including their involvement in the Serengeti distemper epidemic, exposure to feline and canine viruses from domestic reservoirs, rabies, and parasite burdens shaped by varied diets. It examines how proximity to villages, livestock and feral animals influences disease risk, and the challenges of studying a secretive, widely distributed cat. The synthesis connects felid disease ecology to a species that thrives in human-modified landscapes. It aims to help readers understand that the leopard’s very adaptability brings it into frequent contact with domestic disease reservoirs, making it an important and exposed species in the epidemiology of carnivore pathogens across Africa and Asia.