A global-scale assessment of zoonotic virus diversity and spillover potential in urban-adapted mammal species - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #urban-wildlife
- #viral-spillover
- #zoonotic-viruses
- Study assesses zoonotic virus diversity and spillover risk in urban-adapted mammal species globally.
- Analyzes data from 1574–2023 on eight species like raccoon dogs, red foxes, and wild boars across 116 countries.
- Finds these mammals host 286 virus species, with 14 posing high risk for human infection.
- Raccoon dogs show higher viral positivity in urban habitats compared to other species.
- Identifies phylogenetic links between animal and human viruses, suggesting possible viral spillback.
- Recommends enhanced surveillance of urban-adapted wildlife to mitigate future zoonotic outbreaks.