WHO Released A New Pathogen List: Unveiling The Threats

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a new list of pathogens that might trigger the next pandemic. Alarmingly, the number of pathogens has grown to 30. Influenza A, dengue, and monkeypox have been identified as priority pathogens. WHO issued this list to boost efforts in developing treatments, vaccines, and diagnostics for all viruses. 

A report by the London-based British weekly journal Nature stated, “The priority pathogens, published on 30 July, were selected for their potential to cause a global public-health emergency in people, such as a pandemic. This was on the basis of evidence showing that the pathogens were highly transmissible and virulent, and that there was limited access to vaccines. The WHO’s two previous efforts, in 2017 and 2018, identified roughly a dozen priority pathogens.” 

It took two years, and 200 scientists were able to prioritise 30 pathogens after evaluating 16,52 species of viruses and bacteria. Accept influenza A, dengue, and monkeypox, many other pathogens were added to the list. These include SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and Merbecovirus, which causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). And five other bacteria strains responsible for diseases like plague, cholera, dysentery, etc. 

The WHO shared that prioritising a handful of pathogens will help us respond more efficiently to zoonotic transmission and unknown threats like ‘Pathogen X’. Pathogen X is a word used to signify an unidentified pathogen that has the potential to cause a public health emergency.