Overview

• The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has published its inaugural priority pathogens list, highlighting 24 viral, bacterial, and fungal families with significant pandemic and epidemic potential.
• Pathogens such as coronaviridae (COVID-19), orthomyxoviridae (avian influenza), and paramyxoviridae (Nipah virus) are among those classified as high-risk threats.
• The initiative emphasizes pathogens with critical gaps in medical countermeasures, including Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) and norovirus, which lack adequate vaccines and treatments.
• Climate-sensitive diseases like dengue and Zika virus are included due to their potential spread to new regions, including southern England, as temperatures rise.
• The list is part of the UK’s Biological Security Strategy and will be updated regularly to address evolving threats and guide research funding and global collaboration.