Explained: What is 'spillover' and how can we stop it from starting the next pandemic?

Mar 1, 2023

Active monitoring of wild animals, farm animals and humans will be key, to detect the first signs of spillover and help prevent outbreaks. Image: Pexels/Kaboompics .com

Treana Mayer

Postdoctoral Fellow in Microbiology, Colorado State University

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Viral spillover occurs when a virus spills out from an animal population into people. Image: Treana Mayer/BioRender, CC BY-ND

Spillover involves any type of disease-causing pathogen, be it a virus, parasite or bacteria, jumping into humans. Image: REUTERS/Loren Elliott

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As housing and farmland expand into wild places, the risk of spillover increases. Image: Pexels/Chiper Catalin

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