I believe that the National Institute of Health lists of
pathogens should be given priority as potential threats
to human health. Note that the majority of the viral illnesses
found on these lists are zoonotic i.e. they have probably jumped from animal to human
species. To deny that viruses often do jump species doesn't make
sense in the face of conventional wisdom. See the lists of
illnesses (including viral illnesses) and their categories below.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institute of Health website re threatening zoonotic viruses
National Institute of Health
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAID conducts and supports research that strives to understand, treat, and ultimately prevent the myriad infectious, immunologic, and allergic diseases that threaten hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
The Institute's mission is driven by a strong commitment to basic research and the understanding that the fields of immunology, microbiology, and infectious disease are related and complementary. NIAID research centers on the four cornerstones of its Strategic Plan -- immune-mediated diseases (and immune tolerance), HIV/AIDS, emerging infectious diseases, and vaccines.
NIAID Category A, B & C Priority Pathogens
Category A
==========
Bacillus anthracis (anthrax)
Clostridium botulinum
Yersinia pestis
Variola major (smallpox) and other pox viruses
Francisella tularensis (tularemia)
Viral hemorrhagic fevers
************************
Arenaviruses
-LCM, Junin virus, Machupo virus, Guanarito virus
-Lassa Fever
Bunyaviruses
-Hantaviruses
-Rift Valley Fever
Flaviruses
-Dengue
Filoviruses
-Ebola
-Marburg
Category B
==========
Burkholderia pseudomallei
Coxiella burnetti (Q fever)
Brucella species (brucellosis)
Burkholderia mallei (glanders)
Ricin toxin (from Ricinus communis)
Epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens
Staphylococcus enterotoxin B
Typhus fever (Rickettsia prowazekii)
Food and Waterborne Pathogens
Bacteria
-Diarrheagenic E.coli
-Pathogenic Vibrios
-Shigella species
-Salmonella
-Listeria monocytogenes
-Campylobacter jejuni
-Yersinia enterocolitica)
Viruses (Caliciviruses, Hepatitis A)
Protozoa
-Cryptosporidium parvum
-Cyclospora cayatanensis
-Giardia lamblia
-Entamoeba histolytica
-Toxoplasma
-Microsporidia
Additional viral encephalitides
-West Nile Virus
-LaCrosse
-California encephalitis
-VEE
-EEE
-WEE
-Japanese Encephalitis Virus
-Kyasanur Forest Virus
Category C Emerging infectious disease threats such as Nipah virus and additional hantaviruses.
NIAID priority areas:
********************
Tickborne hemorrhagic fever viruses - Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever virus
Tickborne encephalitis viruses
Yellow fever
Multi-drug resistant TB
Influenza
Other Rickettsias
Rabies
These lists were sourced from http://www.niaid.nih.gov/biodefense/bandc_priority.htm
on the 30th August 2003
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