Diseases of humans and their domestic mammals: pathogen characteristics, host range and the risk of emergence

TLDR

Pathogens that cross species are of fundamental public health, conservation, and economic importance, yet systematic quantification is lacking, highlighting the need to understand multihost disease dynamics to mitigate threats to humans, livestock, and wildlife. The study constructed a database of disease‑causing pathogens in humans and domestic mammals to analyze pathogen characteristics, host range, and risk factors for disease emergence. The database comprised 1,415 human, 616 livestock, and 374 domestic carnivore pathogens. Multihost pathogens were highly prevalent (61.6 % in humans, 77.3 % in livestock, 90 % in carnivores), 196 pathogens were linked to emerging diseases (175 humans, 29 livestock, 12 carnivores), and emergence was more likely for viruses—especially RNA viruses—than for helminths or fungi, with host breadth and cross‑order infection being key risk factors.

Abstract

Pathogens that can be transmitted between different host species are of fundamental interest and importance from public health, conservation and economic perspectives, yet systematic quantification of these pathogens is lacking. Here, pathogen characteristics, host range and risk factors determining disease emergence were analysed by constructing a database of disease–causing pathogens of humans and domestic mammals. The database consisted of 1415 pathogens causing disease in humans, 616 in livestock and 374 in domestic carnivores. Multihost pathogens were very prevalent among human pathogens (61.6%) and even more so among domestic mammal pathogens (livestock 77.3%, carnivores 90.0%). Pathogens able to infect human, domestic and wildlife hosts contained a similar proportion of disease–causing pathogens for all three host groups. One hundred and ninety–six pathogens were associated with emerging diseases, 175 in humans, 29 in livestock and 12 in domestic carnivores. Across all these groups, helminths and fungi were relatively unlikely to emerge whereas viruses, particularly RNA viruses, were highly likely to emerge. The ability of a pathogen to infect multiple hosts, particularly hosts in other taxonomic orders or wildlife, were also risk factors for emergence in human and livestock pathogens. There is clearly a need to understand the dynamics of infectious diseases in complex multihost communities in order to mitigate disease threats to public health, livestock economies and wildlife.