New emerging viral zoonoses

New developments in the field of viral transmission from animal to man can be divided into four areas of study. First are the new viral zoonoses such as diseases caused by rotaviruses, Lassa virus and the animal orthopox viruses which will be more prevalent after the cessation of mandatory vaccination against smallpox. Secondly are the numerous ubiquitous viruses, such as adeno and herpesviruses, which in healthy animals lead only to clinically inapparent infections. A typical example of the third area is the recombination and hybridisation between animal and human influenza type A viruses. The final area is concerned with the transmission of viral zoonoses to man through food of animal origin.