Emerging viral zoonotic diseases: time to address the root causes

Abstract

There have been multiple outbreaks of emerging infections since the turn of the century. A bulk of these diseases is caused by animals, including the Zika virus, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Monkeypox (MPOX), and Adenovirus among others (Manirambona et al. 2022; Alarcon-Valdes et al. 2022). These diseases were formerly known to infect animals, but they now affect humans. We think that human activities such as land use and livestock practices, and the impact of climate change, are major contributing factors to the emergence and spread of viral zoonotic diseases. By addressing these root causes, we can reduce the risk of future outbreaks and improve public health.