Emerging Infectious Diseases Remain Global Health Risk in 2026

A comprehensive systematic review recently published in BMC Infectious Diseases analyzed human viruses, uncovering distinct peaks in viral emergence and underscoring the ongoing threat of new pathogens in an interconnected world.

A study published by BMC Infectious Diseases on December 20, 2025, by researchers from the University of New South Wales in Australia, examined trends, geographic origins, transmission modes, and associated clinical syndromes.

The study highlights that viral emergence is not a rare event but a persistent process driven by technological advances in detection, ecological disruptions, and socio-demographic changes.

Key findings include two prominent peaks: 87 viruses first detected between 1950 and 1979, and 52 since 2000.

These surges align with improvements in molecular diagnostics, laboratory capabilities, and global surveillance networks, enabling better identification of previously undetected viruses.

RNA viruses, such as influenza and coronaviruses, were frequently identified.

Notably, vector-borne and zoonotic pathogens accounted for 62% of emerging infectious diseases.

The countries with the most initial detections were the United States (42 viruses), China (15), and Australia (10).

The authors emphasize that this reflects disparities in surveillance infrastructure and research capacity rather than true geographic hotspots of emergence.

These authors noted that "These events highlight the reality that pathogen emergence is not a rare anomaly but an ongoing process influenced by an increasingly interconnected and ecologically fragile world."

To assist international travelers when planning trips abroad, the U.S. CDC publishes Travel Health Notices focused on various disease outbreaks and vaccination options.

As of January 6, 2026, various Level 1, 2, and 3 CDC travel alerts are active, focusing on mosquito-borne diseases such as chikungunya, dengue, and malaria.

For more details on travel-related vaccines and infectious disease prevention, visit Vax-Before-Travel.com.