Interventions to Reduce Risk for Pathogen Spillover and Early Disease Spread to Prevent Outbreaks, and Pandemics

The pathogens that cause most emerging infectious diseases in humans originate in animals, particularly wildlife, and then spill over into humans. The accelerat-ing frequency with which humans and domestic animals encounter wildlife because of activities such as land-use change, animal husbandry, and markets and trade in live wildlife has created growing opportunities for patho-gen spillover. The risk of pathogen spillover and early disease spread among domestic animals and humans, however, can be reduced by stopping the clearing and degradation of tropical and subtropical forests, improv-ing health and economic security of communities liv-ing in emerging infectious disease hotspots, enhancing biosecurity in animal husbandry, shutting down or strictly regulating wildlife markets and trade, and expanding pathogen surveillance. We summarize expert opinions on how to implement these goals to prevent outbreaks, epidemics, and pandemics.

Automated summary

The increasing contact between humans and domestic animals with wildlife has led to the transmission of pathogens. To reduce the risk of pathogen spillover and early disease spread, actions such as preserving forests, improving health and economic security in infectious disease hotspots, implementing biosecurity measures in animal husbandry, regulating wildlife markets and trade, and expanding pathogen surveillance are necessary.