Table 2.
Overview of epidemiology of the WHO Diseases of Epidemic & Pandemic Potential.
| Disease name | Organism type | Organism name | Animal Reservoir (yes, specify) e.g., horses, bats, | WHO World Region | Reported in children, adults, elderly or all of the above |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chikungunya | Virus | Chikungunya virus; Togaviridae family (positive-sense ssRNA) | Aedes mosquitos with reservoir in birds and rodents | Primarily Africa and SE Asia, now Europe & N America | All of the above |
| Cholera | Bacterium | Vibrio cholerae (GN), specifically non-O1 serogroups | No | Mostly Africa and Asia | Mostly children, some adults/elderly |
| COVID-19 | Virus | SARS-CoV-2; Coronaviridae family (positive-sense ssRNA) | Likely, exact source unclear | All | Mostly adults |
| Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever | Virus | Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus; Nairoviridae family (negative-sense ssRNA) | Hyalloma tick with reservoir in cattle, goats, sheep, hares, and ostriches | Africa, the Balkans, Middle East, Asia | All of the above |
| Ebola virus disease | Virus | Ebola virus; Filoviridae family (negative-sense ssRNA) | Animals hunted for bushmeat, including bats, are a suspected reservoir | West Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo | All of the above |
| Hendra virus infection | Virus | Hendra virus; Paramyxoviridae family (negative-sense ssRNA) | Pteropus bats, horses | Asia, Pacific | Adults |
| Influenza | Virus | Influenza virus; Orthomyxoviridae family (negative-sense ssRNA) | Waterfowl | All continents | All of the above |
| Lassa fever | Virus | Lassa virus; Arenaviridae family (negative-sense ssRNA) | No | West Africa | Adult |
| Marburg virus disease | Virus | Marburgvirus; Filoviridae family (negative-sense ssRNA) | Yes; African fruit bat | Africa | Mostly adults |
| MERS-CoV | Virus | Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; Coronaviridae family (positive-sense ssRNA) | Dromedary camels, bats | Eastern Mediterranean (origin); cases reported in all regions | Adult |
| Monkeypox | Virus | Monkeypox virus; Poxviridae family (dsDNA) | Monkeys, rats, squirrels | Africa, U.S. | Children |
| Neisseria meningitidis meningitis | Bacterium | Neisseria meningitidis; GN diplococcus | No | All continents, with epidemic outbreaks in Africa's meningitis belt | All of the above |
| Nipah virus infection | Virus | Nipah henipavirus; Paramyxoviridae family (negative-sense ssRNA) | Pteropus bats | Primarily Africa and SE Asia | Children and adults |
| Plague | Bacterium | Yersinia pestis (GN, non-motile) | Tropical rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) or domestic cats | All continents except Oceania | Majority children, some adults |
| Rift valley fever | Virus | Rift valley fever virus; Phenuiviridae family (negative-sense ssRNA) | Aedes mosquitoes | Africa, Arabian peninsula | All of the above |
| SARS | Virus | SARS-CoV-1; Coronaviridae family (ssRNA) | Horseshoe bat | China | Mostly adults |
| Smallpox | Virus | Variola major and minor; Poxvirus family (dsDNA) | No | Eradicated | All of the above |
| Tularemia | Bacterium | Francisella tularensis (GN coccobacllus) | Rabbits, hares, beavers and muskrats | North America, Europe, Asia, and Middle East. Uncommon in Australia and South America. | All of the above, though mostly adults |
| Yellow fever | Virus | Yellow fever virus; flaviviridae (positive-sense ssRNA) | Aedes mosquitoes | African, South America | All of the above |
| Zika virus disease | Virus | Zika virus; flaviviridae (positive-sense ssRNA) | Aedes mosquitoes | Global | All of the above |
ds,double-stranded; ss, single-stranded; GN, Gram-negative.