The significance of studying high-consequence pathogens in their natural reservoirs

Concern over spillover events caused by high-consequence pathogens has grown in recent years due to the increased occurrence of such events, and because the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how severe the consequences of spillover events can be. As such, there is escalading interest in uncovering the factors that make spillover events more likely, specifically for high-consequence pathogens. An important aspect of this work involves researching how high-consequence pathogens interact with their reservoir hosts. Thus, this chapter discusses the importance of studying high-consequence pathogens in their reservoir hosts, specifically in experimental laboratory settings, with a special emphasis on Sin Nombre virus and Lassa virus, and their respective rodent reservoir hosts, Peromyscus maniculatus and Mastomys natalensis. Value gained from this research, as well as the current limitations faced when conducting this work are also discussed. Overall, this work helps to shed light on various aspects of these pathogens such as their transmission patterns, pathogenesis (and lack thereof), and mechanisms of persistence in their reservoir hosts. Limitations include a need for highly developed laboratory infrastructure, demanding funding requirements, and a lack of compatible reagents for the exotic species that are often the subject of these studies. Continued interest and research is needed to expand this work to include host reservoirs of other high consequence pathogens so that the risks of future spillover events can be mitigated as best as possible.