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Articles on Zoonotic viruses

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West Nile virus is spread by mosquitoes. About 80 per cent of infected people have no symptoms, but the virus can cause encephalitis and can be life-threatening. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

What Canadians need to know about West Nile virus, a mosquito-borne infection that can be life-threatening

West Nile virus arrived in North America in 1999 and spread across the continent by 2005. Here’s what you need to know about this mosquito-borne pathogen.
Electron micrograph of monkeypox virus particles isolated in 2003 in the United States from human samples (left, mature, oval viruses; right, immature, round viruses). Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner / CDC / AP

Monkeypox: ‘This is an entirely new spread of the disease’

This is not the first time that the monkeypox virus has spread beyond Africa, its continent of origin. But the current epidemic is unprecedented for a number of reasons.
The strain of H5N1 bird flu identified in Canada, the United States and Europe can cause severe disease and high mortality in domestic poultry. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Avian influenza: How bird flu affects domestic and wild flocks, and why a One Health approach matters

Avian influenza virus — or bird flu — can infect domestic poultry such as chickens and turkeys, as well as wild birds. The H5N1 strain has been identified in Canada.
There is only ‘one health’ — the health of all living organisms in a global ecosystem that, when rapidly altered and imbalanced, puts us all at risk for future pandemics. (Canva)

One Health: A crucial approach to preventing and preparing for future pandemics

One Health recognizes the interrelations between the health of humans, other animals, and their shared environments. It should be integrated in the international treaty on pandemics.

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