The study by Taylor, Latham, and Woolhouse reviews 145 species of infectious organisms known to be pathogenic to humans, including 217 viruses and prions, 538 bacteria and rickettsia, 307 fungi, 66 protozoa, and 287 helminths. Among these, 868 species (61%) are zoonotic, and 175 species are associated with emerging diseases. The authors test the hypothesis that zoonotic pathogens are more likely to be associated with emerging diseases. They find that 132 emerging pathogens (75%) are zoonotic, and overall, zoonotic pathogens are twice as likely to be associated with emerging diseases compared to non-zoonotic pathogens. However, the risk varies among different taxonomic groups, with viruses and protozoa being particularly likely to emerge, while helminths are very unlikely to do so, regardless of their zoonotic status. The study also notes that no association was found between transmission routes and emergence. This research represents the first quantitative analysis identifying risk factors for human disease emergence.The study by Taylor, Latham, and Woolhouse reviews 145 species of infectious organisms known to be pathogenic to humans, including 217 viruses and prions, 538 bacteria and rickettsia, 307 fungi, 66 protozoa, and 287 helminths. Among these, 868 species (61%) are zoonotic, and 175 species are associated with emerging diseases. The authors test the hypothesis that zoonotic pathogens are more likely to be associated with emerging diseases. They find that 132 emerging pathogens (75%) are zoonotic, and overall, zoonotic pathogens are twice as likely to be associated with emerging diseases compared to non-zoonotic pathogens. However, the risk varies among different taxonomic groups, with viruses and protozoa being particularly likely to emerge, while helminths are very unlikely to do so, regardless of their zoonotic status. The study also notes that no association was found between transmission routes and emergence. This research represents the first quantitative analysis identifying risk factors for human disease emergence.