The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified 30 pathogens that pose a significant risk for causing the next global public health crisis. This shortlist was determined after over 200 scientists assessed 1,652 pathogen species to pinpoint the top 30 potential pandemic threats.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released an updated list of 30 “priority” pathogens that pose a significant risk of causing a global pandemic. This comprehensive list highlights pathogens that could potentially lead to a major public health crisis.
The evaluation, conducted by over 200 scientists over two years, involved analyzing evidence on 1,652 pathogen species—primarily viruses and some bacteria. This process was detailed in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.
According to Ana Maria Henao Restrepo, who leads the WHO’s R&D Blueprint for Epidemics, the prioritization process is crucial for identifying critical knowledge gaps and ensuring resources are used effectively.
The updated list now includes broad categories like coronaviruses, which encompass both Sarbecovirus (including SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19) and Merbecovirus (which includes the virus causing Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS). Unlike previous lists that named specific viruses, this one covers entire subgenuses.
Also featured are pathogens like the monkeypox virus, which caused a global outbreak in 2022 and continues to spread in Central Africa, and the variola virus, which causes smallpox. Despite being eradicated in 1980, the variola virus remains a priority due to the lack of routine vaccinations and the potential for it to be used as a biological weapon.
New additions include several influenza A viruses, such as subtype H5, and newly identified bacteria responsible for diseases like cholera, plague, dysentery, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Two rodent-borne viruses are also on the list due to their ability to jump to humans and spread between people.
Researchers highlighted that factors like climate change and urbanization are increasing the likelihood of these viruses spreading to humans. The Nipah virus, known for its high fatality rate and lack of treatments, remains on the list.
Naomi Forrester-Soto, a virologist at the Pirbright Institute in the UK, emphasized that while many of these pathogens are currently confined to specific regions, they have the potential to spread globally.
