Did you know that humans are giving more viruses to animals than the other way around? 😲 It's true! A recent study has shown that we're spreading viruses to our animal friends at an alarming rate.
For years, we've been worried about viruses jumping from animals to humans, like how HIV came from chimpanzees or how experts believe COVID-19 may have originated from bats. 🦇 But now, scientists have found that we're actually the bigger culprits when it comes to spreading viruses across species.
Cedric Tan, a doctoral student in computational biology at the University College London (UCL) Genetics Institute, led a groundbreaking study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. 📚 The team analyzed nearly 12 million virus genomes and discovered almost 3,000 instances where viruses jumped between species. Shockingly, humans were involved in 21% of these jumps, and most of them were from us to animals!
From our beloved pets like cats and dogs 🐶🐱 to farm animals like pigs and cows 🐷🐄, and even wild animals such as raccoons and monkeys 🐵, no creature is immune to our viral influence. Wild animals, in particular, are much more likely to catch viruses from humans than to give them to us.
\\"This really highlights our enormous impact on the environment and the animals around us,\\" said Tan. \\"Viruses can jump between different species via the same modes of transmission that apply to humans, including direct contact with infected fluids or getting bitten by other species.\\"
While we've been mostly concerned about zoonosis (viruses jumping from animals to humans), this study sheds light on anthroponosis—viruses passing from humans to animals. 🦠 It's a reminder that our actions have far-reaching consequences, especially on the wildlife we share our planet with.
Many of these cross-species transmissions might not lead to big outbreaks, but there's always a risk. \\"In most cases, such infections lead nowhere, as the virus is poorly adapted and there is no onward transmission in the new host,\\" said study co-author Francois Balloux. \\"But sometimes, the virus can start circulating, causing a disease outbreak, an epidemic, or even establish itself as an endemic pathogen.\\"
So next time you're snuggling with your pet or exploring nature 🌿, remember that we have a responsibility to protect not just ourselves but also the animals around us. Let's be mindful of our impact and work towards a healthier world for all species! 🌍❤️
Reference(s):
Humans give more viruses to animals than they give us: study
cgtn.com
