Which of the following is an example of a zoonotic disease that is transmitted through animal bites?

Rabies is a classic example of a zoonotic disease that is transmitted through animal bites. This viral infection is most commonly spread through the saliva of an infected animal when it bites a human. Once the virus enters the bloodstream, it travels to the nervous system and can be fatal if not treated promptly with post-exposure prophylaxis.

In contrast, Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through contact with rodent urine, droppings, or saliva, rather than through animal bites. Malaria is transmitted by the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, which makes it a vector-borne disease rather than one transmitted through direct animal contact. Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is spread through the bite of infected ticks, which are also not classified as zoonotic transmission via direct animal bites. Thus, rabies distinctly fits the criteria of a zoonotic disease transmitted through animal bites.