Abstract The repeated emergence of pandemic viruses underscores the linkages between land-use change and wildlife disease , and urban-adapted wildlife are of special interest due to their close proximity to humans . However, viral diversity within urban-adapted species and their zoonotic potential remain largely unexplored. We compiled a large dataset on seven priority urban-adapted mammal species and their viruses covering over 115 countries from 1574 to 2023. These urban-adapted species host 286 virus species spanning 24 orders and 38 families , 14 of which are potentially high risk for human infection. Raccoons carried the most high-risk viruses, while raccoon dogs had increased viral positivity in urban habitats compared to raccoons, wild boars , and red foxes . Many viruses in urban-adapted species were phylogenetically related to those found in humans, and we also observed evidence of possible viral spillback . These results highlight zoonotic risks associated with urban-adapted ...
Media Monitoring for Signals about Emerging Threats