Humans pass on more viruses to domestic and wild animals than they catch from them. Ebola, flu and Covid-19 have their origins in the animal kingdom.
Factors such as increasing population density and human penetration into previously undeveloped areas increase the risk of such transmissions. For some animal species, humans pose an existential risk if a disease is transmitted from humans to animals. If more attention is paid to these transmissions, it could possibly help prevent future pandemics, say the study authors.