WHO lists over 30 pathogens that could potentially start the next pandemic

Sub: Sci

Sec: Health

Context:

WHO updates its list of top pandemic threats, highlighting over 30 dangerous pathogens including Nipah and Mpox.

More on the news:

In a significant update, the World Health Organization (WHO) has revised its list of priority pathogens, identifying a broader range of viruses and bacteria that pose a potential risk for future pandemics.
This updated list now includes over 30 pathogens, encompassing well-known threats such as influenza A virus, dengue, and Mpox, as well as emerging threats like the Nipah virus.

What is the ‘Pathogens Prioritization’ report?

‘Pathogens Prioritization’ report was released by WHO.
It outlines the findings of a global pathogen prioritization process involving over 200 scientists from more than 50 countries who evaluated the evidence related to 28 Viral Families and one core group of Bacteria, encompassing 1,652 pathogens.
This process emphasized the imperative nature of collaborative efforts to attain global resilience against epidemics and pandemics.
The final list comprises over 30 ‘priority pathogens’.

Key findings of the report:

Sarbecovirus is classified as ‘high’ in the WHO list, for its risk of causing a Public Health Emergency of International Concern or PHEIC.
The list also includes Subgenus Merbecovirus, which includes the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
The dengue virus and the influenza A viruses, including the H5 subtype, which caused an avian influenza outbreak in India and which even affected cattle in the United States are now on the list.
In the Southeast Asia region, the report notes, bacterial pathogens are priorities including Vibrio cholera O139 (cholera) and Shigella dysenteriae serotype 1 (dysentery).

What are Prototype pathogens?

The 2024 report, incorporates for the first time, the concept of the ‘Family approach’ and the ‘Prototype Pathogen’.
The family approach is important, as pathogens within a family have a lot of similarities, and even share genetic material, meaning an existing treatment option or vaccine for one strain of the pathogen family could potentially be repurposed for another.
The ‘prototype pathogens are representative pathogens within a family selected to serve as a model for fundamental research to develop medical countermeasures that can be applied to other members of the family.