Newly discovered viruses

Although humans are affected by an enormous range of microorganisms, almost all newly discovered emerging pathogens are viruses that are often zoonotic or vector-borne. These emerging viruses often have high baseline mutation rates, allowing them to adapt relatively easily to new hosts and enabling them to take advantage of new epidemiological opportunities provided by the changing environment. A range of apparently new human viral pathogens has been reported increasingly in international outbreak information over the last few years. How they will influence global public health remains...

Although humans are affected by an enormous range of microorganisms, almost all newly discovered emerging pathogens are viruses that are often zoonotic or vector-borne. These emerging viruses often have high baseline mutation rates, allowing them to adapt relatively easily to new hosts and enabling them to take advantage of new epidemiological opportunities provided by the changing environment. A range of apparently new human viral pathogens has been reported increasingly in international outbreak information over the last few years. How they will influence global public health remains to be seen....