Emerging and re-emerging human infectious diseases: A systematic review of the role of wild animals with a focus on public health impact

• Published in: Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 99 - 106
• Main Authors: Cupertino, Marli, Resende, Michely, Mayer, Nicholas, Carvalho, Lorendane, Siqueira-Batista, Rodrigo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer India Pvt. Ltd 01.03.2020; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Vi?osa. Vi?osa. Minas Gerais, Brazil%Medical School, Faculdade Dinamica do Vale do Piranga. Ponte Nova. Minas Gerais, Brazil; Laboratory of Epidemiological and Computational Methods in Health, Department of Medicine and Nursing, Universidade Federal de Vi?osa. Minas Gerais, Brazil; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Vi?osa. Vi?osa. Minas Gerais, Brazil%Medical School, Faculdade Dinamica do Vale do Piranga. Ponte Nova. Minas Gerais, Brazil%Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Federal de Vi?osa. Vi?osa. Minas Gerais, Brazil%Medical School, Faculdade Dinamica do Vale do Piranga. Ponte Nova. Minas Gerais, Brazil; Medical School, Faculdade Dinamica do Vale do Piranga. Ponte Nova. Minas Gerais, Brazil; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: zoonosis; epidemics; 2019-ncov; virology; epidemiology; Epidemics; Zoonosis; 2019-nCoV; Epidemiology; Virology
• ISSN: 1995-7645; 2352-4146; 2352-4146
• DOI: 10.4103/1995-7645.277535

Infectious diseases continue to impose unpredictable burdens on global health and economies, a subject that requires constant research and updates. In this sense, the objective of the present article was to review studies on the role of wild animals as reservoirs and/or dispersers of etiological agents of human infectious diseases in order to compile data on the main wild animals and etiological agents involved in zoonotic outbreaks. A systematic review was carried out using PRISMA guidelines, using the PubMed, Scopus and SciELO platforms as data banks. The descriptors used were "zoonosis", "human infectious diseases" and "wild animals". The results show that wild animals (mainly bats, birds and primates) play an important role in the dissemination of etiological agents (mainly viruses, as a new coronavirus called 2019 Novel Coronavirus) in extensive geographic regions. Moreover, these wild animal organisms can act as the site for essential biotic synergy among several pathogenic microorganisms, promoting a higher rate of adaptation, mutation and even genetic recombination, with consequent stimulation of new strains and subtypes, inducing new infectious agents with unknown virulent potential. In conclusion, the monitoring of these diseases and adequate preparation for possible epidemics and pandemics are fundamental conditions for the mitigation of their future impact. The zoonotic threat of these etiological agents and the impact on public health can be enormous as shown by the ongoing epidemic of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019- nCoV) infections.