Scientists identified 30 pathogens that can trigger next pandemic

Scientists have identified pathogens increased to 30 which can start the next worst pandemic in a new concerning research. Pathogens are infectious agents that spread disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has also designated the Influenza A Virus, Dengue Virus, and Monkeypox Virus as “priority pathogens” in its updated list.

However, this list aims to support research and development activities for medications, vaccines, and diagnostics for giant diseases caused by priority pathogens.

*30 pathogens may trigger the next pandemic in the world after COVID-19*

Hence, the WHO created the list using data that showed the infections were dangerous and severe. There was no achievable therapy at this time.

Ana Maria Henao Restrepo is head of the R&D Blueprint for Epidemics of WHO. She stated process of prioritization helps identify critical knowledge gaps that need immediate handling.

Neelika Malavige is an immunologist at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura in Colomba, Sri Lanka. She stated it was necessary to revisit the WHO’s list over and over again amidst turbulent global changes.

More than 200 scientists evaluated over 1,652 pathogen species including bacteria and viruses. After a detailed study, scientists also identified 30 priority pathogens to be included in the list.

The list included SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the global COVID-19 pandemic, and Mebecovirus. Mebecovirus is the virus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

Pneumoniae	Shigellosis	Marburg virus	West Nile Virus	Nipah virus	Monkeypox
Lassa Fever	Salmonella	Zika virus	Hantavirus	SFTS Fever	Chikungunya virus
Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever	MERS	Dengue fever	Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever	Rift Valley Fever	Borna disease virus
Cholera	SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)	Yellow fever	Bird flu (H1 to H10)	Smallpox	Lentivirus
Plague	Ebola	Tick-borne encephalitis	Swine flu (H1 to H3)	Pox virus	HerpesHPVParvovirus

The above diseases may be one of the next major pandemics

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The updated WHO list now includes the monkeypox virus which caused a worldwide outbreak in 2022. Despite its elimination in 1980, its relative, the variola virus, which causes smallpox is present in the list of pathogens.

Since people are no longer immunized against it, they are not growing immune to it. Immunologist Neelika Malavige warned that terrorists can use the smallpox virus as a “biological weapon.”

Moreover, six influenza A viruses including H5 have their names in that list. This virus also caused an outbreak in cattle in the United States. Others include the Nipah virus, bird flu, cholera, and yellow fever.