New virus catalog reveals which pathogens pose the greatest threat
Summary
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have created a list of viruses that can infect humans, focusing on those most likely to cause pandemics. Their work helps identify which viruses can spread from person to person and might pose a serious public health threat.Key Facts
- Each year, scientists find two or three new viruses that infect people.
- Most new viruses do not spread widely or cause major health problems.
- RNA viruses, which carry their genetic material as RNA, have caused recent pandemics like AIDS and COVID-19.
- Only 239 known RNA viruses infect humans, but there could be millions more in nature.
- Two-thirds of these viruses are zoonotic, meaning they usually infect people from animals without spreading between humans.
- Viruses that already spread easily from person to person are a bigger risk for pandemics.
- Some viruses spread in small outbreaks but have the potential to infect many if conditions change.
- This virus catalog helps predict which viruses might cause future pandemics by looking at how they spread and how related they are to other viruses.
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