Abstract

Virus, whither are you wandering? Consequences
of host changes for human health
Viruses multiply in living host cells only. Successful
viruses often cause mild or inapparent infections and
do not kill their native host. A host change may disturb
this equilibrium. The new host is not prepared
for the infectious agent and contracts severe disease.
On the other hand, the virus has to undergo many
replication cycles until it adapts to the new host and
reduces its virulence. Known viral diseases that are
passed on from animals to humans (viral zoonoses)
are rabies, H5N1-influenza and tick-borne encephalitis.
Our global society permits additional viruses
to emerge from their ecological niches. They carry
exotic names like Ebola and Chikungunya or abbreviations
like WNV and SARS. Which viruses may
gain relevance in Switzerland, and how should we get
prepared?