Emerging Disease Hotspots

Wildlife Trust is working to discover emerging diseases using a first-of-its kind predictive map of disease hotspots. Wildlife Trust scientists uncovered the specific factors that make a region predisposed to disease emergence by collecting data on outbreaks over the past 50 years. By identifying potential infectious disease threats, we can protect both public and environmental health.

As the leading cause of human fatalities worldwide, infectious diseases lead to the deaths of 13 million people per year. Additionally, over three-quarters of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are a result of zoonotic pathogens (i.e. originating from wild or domestic animals and spreading to humans). Wildlife Trust scientists are actively working in many countries to identify potential infectious disease threats through viral discovery.

For example, Bangladesh is a veritable pressure cooker for disease emergence, with its vast array of biodiversity and its exceptionally high population growth rate.  Our focus includes diseases such as Chikungunya and Rift Valley fever — both mosquito-borne viruses. Chikungunya has had several periodic epidemics in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia.  As the virus strain mutates, the threat of an epidemic rises. Rift Valley fever is lethal in cattle and many virologists predict it will be the next major emerging disease to cause significant economic costs.

Wildlife Trust employs a quantitative risk analysis strategy using data from a range of sources: global human travel, livestock and wildlife trade, and natural animal migration.  Our organization is uniquely poised to fill this analytical gap, which has been left open by U.S. and international government agencies.

Wildlife Trust scientists are on the front lines of disease emergence and discovery. In Malaysia and China we are testing people and wildlife for new and potentially dangerous viruses. Hunting wild animals for food brings people into close contact with a multitude of species and a vast number of potential new diseases.  Working with the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative, Wildlife Trust is studying the risk of viral emergence in highly exposed groups of people.

Our goal for this program includes:

• Setting research priorities in global disease hotspots
• Identifying new disease emergence and drivers
• Creating proactive preventative measures and disease forecasting
• Studying the interactions between humans and wildlifeBuilding predictive models to anticipate future emergence of unknown zoonoses

Publications