The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a list of over 30 pathogens that could potentially cause the next pandemic.
WHO identifies 30 pathogens with pandemic potential, including bird flu, dengue fever, and monkeypox
Some of the most dangerous include H5N1 bird flu, which is spreading in the US and could possibly mutate to spread between humans. Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness known as the ‘bone-breaking disease,’ is also spreading in the US at unprecedented levels. Additionally, monkeypox, which led to a global outbreak in 2022, is on the list due to a more dangerous and infectious strain spreading in Africa.
More than half of the pathogens on the new list are new compared to the 2017 list, DailyMail reported. The updated list also includes Hantavirus, which spreads among rodents, the mosquito-borne West Nile Virus, flu, and Covid.
Smallpox is also on the list, even though it is currently wiped out, due to the risk of it being accidentally released from a lab and spreading quickly since few people have immunity. The list also features Lassa fever, a rodent-borne illness that can cause severe symptoms like bleeding and seizures.
Compiled by 200 scientists from over 50 countries, the list was created after reviewing 1,600 bacteria and viruses. Pathogens marked as having ‘pandemic potential’ are those that are highly transmissible. And are capable of causing serious disease in humans. The most dangerous diseases are those with no available vaccines or treatments.
The pathogens were selected for their high transmissibility and virulence, as well as the limited availability of vaccines and treatments. The new list features several strains of influenza A viruses, five new bacterial strains, and the Nipah virus, which has recently been detected in India.
In contrast, previous lists from 2017 and 2018 included only about a dozen pathogens.
List highlights rising risks from animal-to-human disease spread
Researchers have expanded the list due to increased chances for diseases to spread from animals to humans and between different regions. Urbanization and deforestation have increased contact between wildlife and people. While more international travel creates more opportunities for diseases to reach new areas.
Dr Ana Maria, who authored the report, told Nature: “The prioritization process helps identify critical knowledge gaps that need to be addressed urgently.”
For many of the diseases on the list, only a few cases have been diagnosed so far. However, researchers warned that if these diseases mutate and become better at spreading between people, they could lead to an outbreak.
Most of these diseases are carried by ticks, bats, mosquitoes, rodents, or spread between people, often through respiratory droplets.
To become a pandemic, a virus or bacterium must spread between humans, be detected globally, and cause illness.
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