The silent threat of animal illness

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked interest amongst scientists and the public about viruses from animals which are likely to spill over to humans and cause serious health hazards. A recent study has created a list of viruses present in pangolins, some of the most trafficked animals globally. They were reported to be a likely origin of the SARS COV 2 virus.

The most notable aspect of the study is the use of a prediction model that evaluates the risk for isolated viruses to pose public health concerns and cause widespread diseases across different countries. The model classified their risk as “very high”, “high”, “medium” and “low” based on different viral properties: genetic sequence, ability to invade wide ranging hosts like humans or animals, and ecology.

The study identified about 16 viruses with zoonotic potential, i.e., the ability to spread from animals to humans and cause infections. These viruses are found in healthy pangolins, and belong to different families such as Flaviviridae, which includes the commonly known Dengue and West Nile viruses. Notably, the Pangolin pestivirus from the Flaviviridae family identified in this study was predicted to cause human infections in the event of a transfer to humans.

This study sheds light on the plethora of viruses found in wildlife which can pose public health threats in case of spillover to humans caused by illegal trade, and the gives weight to the “One Health” approach, which aims at improving the health of the ecosystem by showcasing the link between wildlife conservation, illegal trade and public health.