Work

Ability to Replicate in the Cytoplasm Predicts Zoonotic Transmission of Livestock Viruses

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: Understanding viral factors that promote cross-species transmission is important for evaluating the risk of zoonotic emergence. We constructed a database of viruses of domestic artiodactyls and examined the correlation between traits linked in the literature to cross-species transmission and the ability of viruses to infect humans. Among these traits--genomic material, genome segmentation, and replication without nuclear entry--the last is the strongest predictor of cross-species transmission. This finding highlights nuclear entry as a barrier to transmission and suggests that the ability to complete replication in the cytoplasm may prove to be a useful indicator of the threat of cross-species transmission.

Source: The Journal of Infectious Diseases

DOI: 10.1086/596510

Authors: Juliet R. C. Pulliam, Jonathan Dushoff

Institution: Princeton University

Language: English

Topic: Zoonotic diseases and public health

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of General Medical Sciences