In about a year of the world’s battle against COVID-19, everyone is at the edge of their seats to know more discoveries about the disease. The world is holding its breath for the race towards finally getting a vaccine that will finally make humanity heave a sigh of relief. While some countries have successfully controlled this highly contagious disease, most countries still have trouble flattening the curve. As we can only hope for the best and try to be strict in following health protocols, we can also look at how these kinds of diseases originated and escalated in history. Case in point: animals. Here are some diseases that have been transmitted from animals:
1. COVID-19
The novel coronavirus 19 was said to have first been discovered at a wet market in Wuhan, China. Doctors were alarmed about an emerging SARS-like virus. There are allegations about it originating from a lab, meaning it was man-made. However, no hard evidence has still proven that. Genetic analyses speculate that it originated in bats. There has already a record in history that points to bats as origins of diseases if you would check a few bat facts. It turned out that there are no bats in the said seafood market. A few then suspected that it originated in pangolins, but it still does not match the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
2. Ebola Virus
The Ebola Virus disease has ravaged the Central part of Africa when it was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River. It then caused a heavy blow in the Western part of Africa from 2014 until 2016. This disease has been fatal to humans and to primates and gorillas. It may have spread from infected primates or bats—fruit bats, to be specific. Although a few bat facts mentioned the big possibility of disease transmission from bats, tracking has usually been complex. One may catch the four strains of this virus through contact with blood infected with the virus or any other bodily fluids from animals that carry the virus. That person can then spread the virus when in close contact. Symptoms include fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and more.
3. Bubonic Plague
The historical Black Death that has ravaged all of mankind in the 14th century has still been the epitome of a plague. Deaths were recorded at 75 million, more than a fifth of the world’s population. This disease is caused by a virus called Yersinia pestis. Rats and other rodents may carry this disease, sometimes even cats. Fleas from infected rats can sometimes hop on humans, which would then transmit it to other people until it spreads all around the globe. An infected patient would experience fever, weakness, chills, and swollen lymph nodes that hurt. The bacteria laid dormant before awakening in the 1320s from Asia’s Gobi Desert and hopped on the trade routes from China. It then spread through Asia, Italy, and Russia.
4. Rabies
Caused by a virus from the Rhabdoviridae family, domesticated dogs can catch this disease. It can then be transmitted from their bites or scratches. Therefore, vaccinating dogs is very important to avoid humans catching it from their beloved pets.
5. Avian flu
You might catch this flu from Influenza A virus subtypes. This flu affected birds first. However, it has mutated into a strain that can also affect mammals that had contact with birds infected by the flu. Even humans can catch this flu. The human transmission was first reported in Hong Kong in 1997. It has spread from Asia to Europe from 2004 to 2006. The WHO even alarmed everybody that this could turn into a pandemic. It was heard of again in 2013 with a new strain called H7N9 after it spread to about hundreds of people in China. Experts say that if it has become less controlled, it might become a great pandemic in the 21st century.
6. MERS-CoV
One can catch this respiratory illness from a virus called Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. This was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Experts speculate that this virus came from camels in the Arabian Peninsula. Humans contracted the virus after having contact with said animal.
Follow Health Protocols
Aside from COVID-19, there are many other diseases that originated from animals. This raises the alarm about how we should be wary about hygiene and avoid cross-contamination. This is said to be one reason humans contract animal diseases. When preparing food, we must all be strict and take good care of washing our food. Now that diseases are all around us, we must all follow health protocols to mitigate its contagiousness. The key here, too, is to stay in good health! We hope this article gives you the necessary information on diseases that possibly came for animals. As with all things, stay safe and practice good hygiene.
