British scientists from University College London have discovered how often viruses are transmitted between humans and animals. It turned out that viral infections are transmitted twice as often from people to animals and from people to animals. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature Ecology and Evolution (NEE).
The team examined almost 12 million viral genomes and confirmed nearly 3,000 cases of cross-species transmission of the virus. Of these, 64% were due to anthroponosis, the infection of an animal by a person. It was also revealed that 36% were zoonotic, meaning they were transmitted from animals to humans.
Among those affected by anthroponosis were cats and dogs, pigs, horses and cattle, chickens and ducks, as well as wild animals such as chimpanzees, gorillas and howler monkeys, raccoons and even African soft-haired mice.
“This really highlights the enormous impact we have on the environment and the animals around us,” said Cedric Tan, lead author of the study.
According to the scientist, human viruses are transmitted by animals in the same way as within the species; direct contact with contaminated liquids, bites of pathogen carriers, etc.
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Source: Gazeta
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