The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published a new watch list identifying 24 pathogen families that pose a significant potential risk to public health in the future. This list is intended to guide and prioritize research and development efforts in diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics.
The UKHSA emphasizes that this list is a reference tool, not a ranked threat assessment. It aims to focus attention on areas where increased scientific research is crucial for future preparedness. The pathogen families were chosen based on their potential for causing widespread illness, the severity of the diseases they cause, and the existing availability of effective countermeasures.
Key points from the UKHSA’s announcement:
- Purpose:
- The list serves as a guide for research funders and scientific organizations in England.
- It highlights areas where further research and development are needed to enhance biosecurity.
- Scope:
- The list includes viral and bacterial pathogen families.
- It considers both global public health threats and those particularly relevant to the UK population.
- Pandemic Potential:
- The UKHSA has provided a relative assessment of “pandemic and epidemic potential” for each pathogen family.
- Pathogens like those from the Coronaviridae family (including Covid-19), Orthomyxoviridae(flu), and Paramyxoviridae(Nipah virus) were given high pandemic potential ratings.
- Focus on Research:
- The UKHSA is urging increased research into these pathogen families to improve diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments.
Here is the list of the pathogen families identified:
- Adenovirus
- Anthrax
- Chikungunya
- Coronaviridae (including COVID-19 and MERS)
- Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever
- Ebola
- Enterobacteriaceae (such as E. coli)
- Flaviviridae (including dengue, Zika, and hepatitis C)
- Flu (non-seasonal, including bird flu)
- Gonorrhoea
- Hantavirus
- Human metapneumovirus (HMPV)
- Lassa fever
- Moraxellaceae
- Mpox
- Nipah virus
- Norovirus
- Oropouche
- Orthomyxoviridae
- Paramyxoviridae.
- Picornaviridae.
- Phenuiviridae.
- Pneumoviridae.
- Rift Valley fever
- Staphylococcus
- Tularaemia.
The UKHSA stresses the importance of ongoing research and preparedness to mitigate the potential impact of these diseases on public health.