Many Animal Viruses May Already Be Able to Infect Humans, Study Finds
A recent study reveals that many animal viruses may already be able to infect humans, highlighting the importance of identifying and prioritizing unknown viruses in animals to model future pandemic risk. The study suggests that habitat loss and climate change increase the risk of zoonotic pathogens, and that performing sentinel surveillance in high-traffic zones can help capture early-stage spillover.
Researchers have found that many animal viruses can infect humans. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that zoonotic pathogens can have devastating effects. A study reveals that habitat loss and climate change increase the risk of these pathogens. The first recorded case of COVID-19 was in Wuhan, China. The virus is closely related to bat or pangolin species. Zoonotic viruses can emerge due to frequent animal-human contact, wildlife trade, and land-use change. Examples of zoonotic viruses include Ebola, Influenza, and Hepatitis E. Climate change alters the ecological landscape, affecting viruses and increasing the likelihood of spillover. Sentinel surveillance in high-traffic zones can help capture early-stage spillover.
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