WHO Releases List of High-Risk Pathogens with Pandemic Potential

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The World Health Organization (WHO) has published an updated list of global pathogens with the highest potential to trigger epidemics or pandemics, including the infamous COVID-19. In a document released on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, WHO outlined the results of the evaluation of 28 virus families and 1,652 bacterial strains, involving 200 scientists from 50 countries. 

The two-year study entitled the R&D Blueprint for Epidemics aims to guide disease control efforts and potentially save lives during future outbreaks.

“The prioritization process helps identify critical knowledge gaps that need to be addressed urgently and ensures efficient use of resources,” said Ana Maria Henao Restrepo, the project leader, as reported by Nature on Thursday, August 8.

List of High-Risk Pathogens with Pandemic Potential

Referring to the WHO report, the following are the types of pathogens that are of primary concern to scientists in 2024:

1. Mammarenavirus lassaense (Lassa fever)

2. Vibrio cholerae serogroup 0139 (cholera)

3. Yersinia pestis (plague)

4. Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 (dysentery)

5. Salmonella enterica non-typhoidal serovars (acute diarrhea)

6. Klebsiella pneumoniae (pneumonia)

7. Subgenus Merbecovirus (MERS-CoV)

8. Subgenus Sarbecovirus (SARS)

9. Orthoebolavirus zairense (ebola)

10. Orthomarburgvirus marburgense (Marburg dengue fever) 

11. Orthoebolavirus sudanese 

12. Orthoflavivirus zikaense (Zika virus) 

13. Orthoflavivirus denguei (dengue fever) 

14. Orthoflavivirus flavi 

15. Orthohantavirus sinnombreense 

16. Orthohantavirus hantanese 

17. Orthonairovirus haemorrhagiae (Congo fever) 

18. Alphainfluenzavirus influenza H1 (influenza virus) 

19. Alphainfluenzavirus influenza H2 

20. Alphainfluenzavirus influenza H3 

21. Alphainfluenzavirus influenza H5 

22. Alphainfluenzavirus influenza H 

23. Alphainfluen zavirus influenza H7 

24. Alphainfluenzavirus influenza H10 

25. Henipavirus nipahense (Nipah virus) 

26. Bandavirus dabieense (Dabie bandavirus) 

27. Enterovirus coxsackiepol (Coxsackievirus) 

28. Orthopoxvirus variola (smallpox virus) 

29. Orthopoxvirus monkeypox (smallpox virus monkey)

30. Lentivirus humimdef 1

31. Chikungunya alphavirus (Chikungunya fever)

32. Venezuelan alphavirus (Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus)

New Viruses Under WHO’s Monitoring

Of the 32 priority pathogens above, coronaviruses known as Sarbecoviruses include SARS-CoV-2, which caused the COVID-19 pandemic, and Merbecovirus, which causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), are of WHO’s particular concern.

The monkeypox virus, which caused an outbreak in 2022, and its smallpox relative Variola, which was once eradicated in 1980, are also high-priority threats.

Seven influenza A viruses are also on the list, including the H5 subtype linked to the U.S. cattle outbreak, and two rodent-borne viruses like the Nipah virus with human transmission potential. 

Most of these priority pathogens are currently confined to specific regions but the globalized world increases the risk of widespread outbreaks. 

Naomi Forrester-Soto, a virologist at the Pirbright Institute in the UK who also contributes to the study, stressed that no country is immune to such threats of diseases.

MELYNDA DWI PUSPITA

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