Do we need to understand zoonotic diseases better to avoid more pandemics in future? Should we all turn vegetarians? Is eating animals the only issue or there are some other human-animal interactions which need to be understood? Will vising the zoos be safe? Or even keeping pet animals?
Please have a logical discussion around these and ask related questions.
Outbreaks of zoonotic diseases are linked to deforestation. Therefore, preventing the loss of forests could reduce the likelihood of future outbreaks.
Article Emerging threats linking tropical deforestation and the COVI...
Article Recent loss of closed forests is associated with Ebola virus...
Article Outbreaks of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases Are Associat...
Please also see the link below.
Article Bushmeat Hunting, Deforestation, and Prediction of Zoonotic Disease
Also, have a look at the following link.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02341-1
Aman Arora
Article Prediction and prevention of the next pandemic zoonosis
Dear Aman Arora thank you for your interesting and important technical question. Various animals carry viruses which could become the origin of the next pandemic. We can only reduce the risk when people stop eating wild animals like monkeys, bats, or pangolins. For more information about this please have a look at the following useful link:
The Search for Animals That Could Carry the Next Deadly Virus
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-search-for-animals-that-could-carry-the-next-deadly-virus-11616673600
(Published March 25, 2021)
Dear Aman Arora in this context please also have a look at the following relevant article:
‘Preventing the next pandemic’ – A 2020 UNEP Frontiers Series Report on zoonotic diseases with reflections for South Africa
Article ‘Preventing the next pandemic’ – A 2020 UNEP Frontiers Serie...
This paper is freely available as public full text on ResearchGate.
Emerging zoonoses can be defined as zoonotic diseases caused either by an apparently new agent or by previously known microorganisms appearing in places or in species in which the disease was previously unknown. There are many factors that explain the emergence of zoonotic diseases and some of these factors are:
1- Mechanisms at the molecular level, such as genetic drift and shift.
2- Modification of the immunological status of individuals and populations.
3- Social and ecological conditions influencing population growth and movement.
4- Food habits.
5- Environmental and many other factors may play a more important role than changes at the molecular levels.
Aman Arora Thanks for raising this important issue, I do agree with prof. Manal Hadi Kanaan And prof. Frank T. Edelmann
The emergence of such diseases is not necessarily by consuming animal products, it is also possible that they will fluctuate as a result of exposure to tools and animal fomites or any surface contaminated with pathogens. Usually, bad food habits are one of the most important reasons for the emergence of such diseases, because they may cause the pathogen to be transmitted from one host to another, and therefore, in order for this pathogen to adapt to the new host, it will be exposed to genetic mutations or it will acquire new genes that make it compatible with its new surroundings by the mechanics of genetic transfer, and for sure that this may cause the emergence of new strains of pathogens that are more harmful to humans, which causes the outbreak of epidemics ... So we do not need to be vegetarians to prevent epidemics, but rather we need to prevent bad eating habits and that would be a predisposing factor to the outbreak of epidemics ... Also, health and preventive measures must be taken continuously when dealing with live animals, whether by the professions that come into contact with these animals or by the people who raise pets, because many pathogens can be transmitted by contact with live animals that carry the disease, and sometimes the animal is only a carrier of the pathogen, while it may cause dangerous effects on humans.
Climate change is also one of the most important reasons for the emergence of such epidemics, so everyone should be aware of his responsibilities towards the environment to limit the emergence of epidemics in the future.
I hope you will take a look at the following RG link, it is not exactly the same as your question, but it includes many opinions and valuable references about zoonotic diseases and factors leading to their emergence ... My sincere gratitude to everyone.
https://www.researchgate.net/post/What-is-the-meaning-of-emerging-zoonoses-and-what-are-the-factors-that-explain-the-emergence-of-zoonotic-diseases
yes it is very important because of the close connection between animals and people
Dear Aman Arora thank you again for this important technical question which is clearly of broad general interest. In this context please watch the following instructive YouTube video entitled
Zoonotic diseases: Can we prevent the next pandemic? | Covid-19 Special
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeoG6xuXdV4
