Did humans catch AIDS, SARS, Ebola and, now Corona from animals?

Corona Virus which has spread across the world affecting 16 countries and killing more than 400 people is likely to be an animal-bourne disease. It is believed that bats that were sold in the Wuhan markets were the likely source of this deadly virus.

Do Animals really make people ill?

Humans have always caught diseases from animals. Most of the new infections come from wildlife. The reason for such infections is because most animals carry a range of bacteria and viruses that can cause disease.

Most of the deadly disease which has affected the world in the past 50 years are from animals.

It was recently found that bats were the real reason for the deadly SARS which killed over 8000 people worldwide. Bats were also responsible for Nipah and Ebola virus. The HIV/Aids crisis in the 1980s originated from great apes, the 2004-07 avian flu pandemic came from birds. Swine flu crisis in 2009 was from pigs.

A lot of people migrate from village to cities and thus cities become home for mice, raccoons, monkeys, rats, bats and birds which live in the gardens and garbage, eating people's leftovers and waste.

Environmental and climate change also plays a vital role by changing the lifestyle of these animals which makes them move to such cities where they get plenty of food.

Researches say that environmental changes are one of the main reasons and also international travel which spreads the disease worldwide.

Apart from others, there are few groups that are really vulnerable to catching these diseases.

People who work in cleaning and sanitation are more likely to catch these diseases since their chances of encountering them are more than others. They may not have proper sanitary conditions in their households which may also lead to poor immune conditions. These people cannot afford such treatments even if they fall ill.

People living in cities can get the diseases easily because of the tightly packed structure and since they are breathing the same air surrounding them.