Infection of humans by viruses from animal hosts — so-called zoonoses — occur relatively frequently around the world. Examples over the last few decades include human infections caused by avian… Click to show full abstract
Infection of humans by viruses from animal hosts — so-called zoonoses — occur relatively frequently around the world. Examples over the last few decades include human infections caused by avian influenza A viruses of hemagglutinin subtypes H5, H6, H7, H9, and H10, swine influenza A viruses of subtypes H1 and H3, Hendra virus and Nipah virus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)-coronavirus, West-Nile virus, and Ebola virus. Fortunately, most zoonotic infections occur as isolated cases or small clusters, posing little risk to the public at large. However, some zoonotic infections may trigger local or regional outbreaks, spread to humans in various parts of the world, or even result in widespread global outbreaks known as pandemics.
               
Click one of the above tabs to view related content.