Biological invasions facilitate zoonotic disease emergences

The accelerating rate of zoonotic disease outbreaks globally necessitates investigation into contributing factors. This study quantitatively assesses the role of alien species invasions in facilitating zoonoses by analyzing 10,473 zoonosis events since the 14th century, considering 795 established alien hosts. Results reveal a positive correlation between alien zoonotic host richness and the number of zoonosis events, even after controlling for various factors like climate change, land-use change, and human population density. This suggests that alien host introductions have significantly contributed to zoonosis emergences and highlights the potential global health benefits of minimizing future introductions.

Lin Zhang, Jason Rohr, Ruina Cui, Yusi Xin, Lixia Han, Xiaona Yang, Shimin Gu, Yuanbao Du, Jing Liang, Xuyu Wang, Zhengjun Wu, Qin Hao, Xuan Liu