Prevent pandemics by preventing the “spillover”

And if we could prevent pandemics not after the appearance of the first human cases, but even before they touch man, preventing the crossing of the species barrier? Consequently, An article, signed by two American researchers, offers a roadmap to prevent pandemics at the source.

A flaw in current prevention – Prevent pandemics preventing "spillover"

Since the crisis of COVID-19 A coronavirus disease. However, sometimes designated COVVID (according to the English acronym from Coronavirus DIEASE) is a disease caused by a coronavirus (VOC). Furthermore, The expression can refer to the following diseases: severe acute respiratory syndrome (SRAS) caused by the SARS-COV virus. Moreover, the Middle East respiratory syndrome (seas) caused by the MERS-COV virus, 2019 coronavirus disease (COVVI-19) caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus. Funding and initiatives to strengthen preparation for pandemics have multiplied. Therefore, Ambitious action plans are intended to quickly prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” detect new pathogens. Similarly, to develop vaccines in 100 days, or to strengthen surveillance in countries with low and intermediate income. Moreover, But. Similarly, recall the authors of a study published in Emerging Infectious Diseasesthese plans are all based on a reaction after the fact, once the pathogen has already crossed the barrier of species-what the Anglo-Saxons call the Spillover-and infected humans. Furthermore, If the majority of these events do not lead to epidemics. Similarly, in rare cases, once the case barrier has been crossed, the pathogen acquires the ability to be transmitted between humans and trigger an epidemic, even a pandemic. Similarly, Epidemics of infections by the HIV Human immunodeficiency virus. In addition, In English: HIV (Human Immunodeficist Virus). Similarly, Isolated in 1983 at the Institut Pasteur de Paris. Nevertheless, Recently discovered (2008) awarded by the Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded to Luc Montagnier and prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” Françoise Barré-Sinoussi. the Covid A coronavirus disease. Therefore, sometimes designated COVVID (according to the English acronym from Coronavirus DIEASE) is a disease caused by a coronavirus (VOC). However, The expression can refer to the following diseases: severe acute respiratory syndrome (SRAS) caused by the SARS-COV virus. In addition, the Middle East respiratory syndrome (seas) caused by the MERS-COV virus, 2019 coronavirus disease (COVVI-19) caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus. The Ebola virus or the Nipah virus all come from Spillovers. Moreover, “” For pathogens with pandemic potential, each animal’s passage to humans thus represents an immediate threat. Similarly, It is at this precise moment – at the zero point – that prevention must be exercised “Consider Emily S. Therefore, Gurley (Epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) and Raina K. Plowright (researcher at Cornell University and at the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability). Gold, prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” ” Spillover prevention remains a dead angle of pandemic preparation policies “, They deplore. A “one health” approach to understand the transmissions

In their article. the two scientists recommend a transdisciplinary approach of the One Health type in order to investigate the events of Spillover. The idea: to reassemble the causal chain from the zero patient to identify the ecological. social and biological conditions having made this transmission possible.

An investigation which must be based on several fields of expertise:

• Clinical medicine. in order to recognize the signs of unusual infection;
• Epidemiology, in order to analyze contacts and transmission chains;
• Molecular biology, in order to identify the pathogen and its origin;
• Ecology and zoology, in order to identify tanks or intermediaries;
• The social sciences, in order to understand human behaviors promoting animal-human contacts;
• And finally the environment, in order to assess changes in habitat or climate that have prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” changed the population dynamics of animal tanks.

Prevent pandemics preventing "spillover" – Prevent pandemics preventing "spillover"

Two emblematic examples: Hendra and Nipah – Prevent pandemics preventing "spillover"

In order to illustrate the interest of the One Health approach to prevent the risk that a virus crosses the species barrier and contaminates man, the study authors are based on two emblematic examples: the Hendra virus in Australia and the Nipah virus in Bangladesh.

The Hendra virus in Australia

In Australia. a few rare cases of human contamination by the Hendra virus, which is usually transmitted from battles to horses, have been observed. It is thanks to environmentalists involved in research on the crossing of this virus that the underlying mechanisms have. been included. They observed that bats fed on immature fruits, an abnormal behavior testifying prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” to a food shortage. Studies carried out later made it possible to highlight that deforestation. coupled with climatic vagaries, deprived the bats of their usual food and pushed them to agricultural areas, increasing the risk of contact with horses. Understanding the origin of the Hendra virus spillover thus made it possible to offer a solution to reduce this. risk: to restore the habitats of bats in order to limit their migration to human areas. Study authors note that it will nevertheless take more than a decade to find out if this solution is. actually effective.

The Nipah virus in Bangladesh

Another example is that of the Nipah virus. Identified for the first time in 1999 during an outbreak occurring among pig breeders. in Malaysia, this zoonotic virus can cause, in humans, an asymptomatic infection with acute respiratory infection, even fatal encephalitis. In Bangladesh. outbreaks occur almost every year since prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” 2001, the date of the first detection of the Nipah virus in this country. The first human epidemics led to a series of One Health surveys. In 2005. a link was established with the consumption of Palm Sap Dattier, a cultural tradition which consists in collecting and drinking sap in the trees. It is the investigation carried out jointly by researchers in ecology (showing that bats urinated in the collection containers). virologists (showing that the Nipah virus persisted in the sap of the date palm), which made it possible to understand the origin of human infections. Covering the sap collection pots then appeared as the most obvious solution to set up to reduce the risk. of contamination. This simple measure is still applied today.

Raise obstacles to detecting spillovers

These examples show that the “One Health” approach. the application of which is not limited to viruses and bats but prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” extends to other infectious agents and other tanks, helps prevent “spillovers”. However. if the opportunities to better understand and prevent these events are frequent, they are often overlooked due to late surveys, leaving the origin of many epidemics (Ebola, Nipah, H5N1, COVID-19) uncertain. Several reasons to this. list the authors:

• The lack of means of health systems to diagnose rare pathogens;
• The fear of local economic repercussions;
• Political or diplomatic pressures in the event of a public declaration of an emerging infection;
• The lack of incentive of the countries to report the first cases.

Pour Emily S. Gurley et Raina K. Plowright. « Spillovers are politically sensitive events, but their early detection is crucial (…) As long as we do not invest in proactive research One Health, we will remain exposed to their impact. »

A modest investment, immense profits

Preventing Spillovers requires ecological, social and prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” epidemiological research over several years. This often goes beyond classic research funding. But returns on investment are potentially considerable: avoiding a pandemic can save many lives and colossal economic losses. This is a paradigm shift, where prevention becomes more than a complementary strategy: an absolute priority.

The strategy presented by Emily S. Gurley and Raina K. Plowright is based on simple but forgotten evidence: the best way to fight pandemics is to prevent them from starting. It is no longer a question of watching the intrusion of a virus to contain it. but of understanding and interrupting the ecological mechanisms which allow its appearance.

In a world faced with interconnected ecological. climatic and health crises, the primary prevention of pandemics should appear as an ethical, scientific and political imperative.

Reference
Gurley E.S., Plowright R.K. (2025). A Roadmap of Primary Pandemic Prevention Through Spillover Investigation. Emerging Infectious DiseasesVol. 31, n ° 8. prevent pandemics preventing “spillover” Two: 10.3201/EID3108.250442