---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Measles and TB evolved from diseases of…"
description: "\"Measles and TB evolved from diseases of our cattle, influenza from a disease of pigs, and smallpox possibly from a disease of camels. The Americas had ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/jared-diamond-2519_acquire_measles-and-tb-evolved-from-diseases-of_614263.png"
---

#  Measles and TB evolved from diseases of our cattle…

![“Measles and TB evolved from diseases of our cattle, influenza from a disease of pigs, and smallpox possibly from a disease of camels. The Americas had very few native domesticated animal species from which humans could acquire such diseases.” quote by Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/jared-diamond-2519_acquire_measles-and-tb-evolved-from-diseases-of_614263.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/jared-diamond-2519_acquire_measles-and-tb-evolved-from-diseases-of_614263.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d5/jared-diamond-2519_acquire_measles-and-tb-evolved-from-diseases-of_614263.png)

> “Measles and TB evolved from diseases of our cattle, influenza from a disease of pigs, and smallpox possibly from a disease of camels. The Americas had very few native domesticated animal species from which humans could acquire such diseases.”

[Jared Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-diamond/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human diseases often originated in animals and jumped to humans, especially where domestic animals were common.

**In simple terms:** Many diseases came from animals, especially where livestock existed.

Key Takeaway

Consider animal disease reservoirs.

Themes

epidemiology history biology

Mood

concerned analytical

Type

educational informative

When to use this quote

- public health policy
- vaccine development
- wildlife management
- agricultural practices

Key Concepts

zoonosis co‑evolution pathogen spillover

Questions to Reflect On

- How does animal domestication affect disease emergence?
- What measures can reduce zoonotic spillover?

A Different Perspective

Animal‑to‑human transmission is less common in regions without domestic animals.

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[Acquire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquire/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Camels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/camels/) [Cattle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cattle/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Evolved Diseases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evolved-diseases-4982544/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Influenza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influenza/) [Measles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measles/) [Measles Tb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/measles-tb-4982547/) [Native](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/native/) [Pigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pigs/) [Pigs Smallpox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pigs-smallpox-4982546/) [Smallpox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallpox/) [Smallpox Possibly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smallpox-possibly-4982548/) [Species](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/species/) [Tb Evolved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tb-evolved-4982545/)

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