Emerging infections in animals—potential new zoonoses?

Abstract

It is well recognized that most emerging diseases of humans are zoonotic, and that the forces working to create emerging diseases in humans are also operating in animal populations. However, what is often overlooked is that emerging human diseases are usually preceded by the emergence of the same pathogen in an animal population. In fact, the developing disease in animals acts as a link allowing the disease to take hold and wreck havoc in public health. Numerous examples--Rift Valley fever, monkeypox, Nipah, and Ebola--serve to underscore this linkage and to highlight the increasing interconnectedness of animal and human health.

Reasons for the increase in emerging and re-emerging viral infectious diseases

“…Approximately 60% of known pathogens of humans have a zoonotic origin [17]. In addition, 75% of EIDs result from exposure to zoonotic pathogens [18,19]. ''Zoonosis'' is a disease that is acquired from a nonhuman vertebrate.…”

The risk of Rift Valley fever virus introduction and establishment in the United States and European Union

“… 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 Similar to WNV, RVFV can be spread by a range of mosquito vector species as well as other arthropods, many of which are currently present in North America and Europe. 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 RVFV is considered to have high colonization capacity and has been identified as a potential emergent risk in western nations, both as a natural exotic pathogen and an intentionally introduced biological weapon. RVFV is, for example, classified as a category A priority pathogen by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases—indicating the potential to cause social disruption and requiring public health preparedness 23 — a high-consequence pathogen by the World Organization for Animal Health 17 and the third most dangerous animal threat by the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service after avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease.…”

Animal (De)liberation: Should the Consumption of Animal Products Be Banned?

“…The vast majority of human diseases spread between different species of animals (Woolhouse and Gowtage-Sequeria 2005;Torres-Vélez and Brown 2004;Grace 2015). Whereas some of these, for example tapeworms, primarily affect the bodies of those who consume animal products, others can affect everyone, regardless of whether or not they consume animal products themselves.…”