Among the carriers of dangerous viruses are bats, primates and rodents
The causative agents of many dangerous human diseases are viruses that were initially found only in animals. These include both types of human immunodeficiency virus: chimpanzees became the source of HIV-1; HIV-2 is closest to the virus that infects smoky mangobey monkeys, monkeys of the monkey family. Some ebolaviruses were also first discovered in monkeys. The study of viral diseases in animals is an important step towards the prevention of diseases in humans.
The international organization EcoHealth Alliance has compiled a catalog of animal viruses that may pose a threat to humans in the future. To do this, scientists have created a database that includes 754 species of mammals and 586 viruses. The database recorded which viruses can infect certain types of animals. 45% of these viruses are found in humans, of which 72% are found in animals.
Scientists have identified the species affected by the largest number of viruses. Then, using a generalized additive model, they identified the complex of reasons that made these species so vulnerable. The ecological factors and phylogenetic characteristics of the species were taken into account. The probability of risk was calculated not only for individual species, but also for large taxonomic groups - orders.
The researchers concluded that bats are the most likely source of viruses that are dangerous to humans. Bat-to-human transmission of the virus is most likely in South and Central America. The primates of Central America, Africa and Southwest Asia came in second on the list. Rodents of North and South America, as well as Central Africa, round out the top three dangerous animals.
Map of potentially most dangerous areas, Nature
The message was published in the journal Nature.
Yesterday Natalia Pelezneva
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