Wildlife-related zoonotic infections: Major threat to public health

Throughout history, wildlife has been an important source of infectious diseases transmissible to domestic animals and humans. Three-quarters of all emerging infectious diseases of humans are zoonotic, 70% of which are of wildlife origin. Diseases originating from wild animals are widely considered the major threats to public health. Transmission of such pathogens from wildlife to domestic animals and humans remains an important challenge because pathogen detection has limitations in wild species. Available data on the role of wildlife as potential reservoir of zoonotic pathogens are scarce. Intensification of animal production, human population expansion and encroachment into wildlife habitats, deforestation and other habitat changes, pollution, and hunting of wild animals are key anthropogenic activities driving disease emergence at the global scale. Increased mobility of humans, domestic animals and vectors is another factor influencing the epidemiology of wildlife-related disease (viral, bacterial, and parasitic) outbreaks. Surveillance for these wildlife-related diseases at a continental scale is therefore important for planet-wide assessment, awareness of, and preparedness for the risks they may pose to wildlife, domestic animal, and human health.

Authors are invited to submit reviews, original articles, short communications, and case reports from the field of zoonotic diseases transmissible between wildlife, domestic animals and humans that would be of interest to our international readers.