Scientists are still discovering two to three new viruses capable of infecting humans each year, according to a major collaborative and global study led by Mark Woolhouse, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the Usher Institute. Funded by an EU Horizon 2020 grant and published in the Scientific Data journal, the research highlights the continuing threat posed by emerging infectious diseases. The study brings together the most comprehensive catalogue to date of human-infective viruses, identifying 239 species and tracking when and where they first emerged, how they spread, and their potential to cause outbreaks.Drawing on decades of scientific evidence, the researchers say the findings show that virus discovery is continuing rather than slowing, underlining the need for sustained global surveillance and stronger preparedness against future infectious disease threats.Early warningEarlier versions of the dataset flagged viruses such as Ebola and Zika years before they triggered major epidemics. Researchers say the catalogue also identified the Andes hantavirus as one to watch because of its outbreak potential, amid renewed international attention on hantaviruses in recent weeks.The collaborative research, involving the Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Peking, suggests the dataset could help identify which viruses pose the greatest risk to public health, improve tracking of emerging diseases and refine predictions about future outbreaks.Biggest threatRNA viruses – including infections such as influenza, measles and COVID-19 – are responsible for a substantial global disease burden and are disproportionately linked to emerging outbreaks. The updated dataset shows that 90 per cent of these viruses (215 species) are also found in non-human animals, which is the main source of new viruses.Only a minority – 60 virus species – are capable of sustained human-to-human transmission, including those responsible for epidemics and pandemics. A further group can spread between people but has so far only caused limited outbreaks. These viruses, which include coronaviruses and relatives of Ebola, are of special concern, experts say. New virusesThe catalogue builds on earlier versions first published in 2001 and last updated in 2018. Since then, more than 20 additional RNA virus species have been identified, alongside major changes to virus classification and rapid growth in genome sequencing.The new, openly available dataset includes detailed geographic information on where each virus was initially reported, showing that new human-infective viruses have been identified in every region of the world except Antarctica. It also links to publicly available genome sequences for most species, making it a valuable tool for genetic and evolutionary research.The research team emphasises that the catalogue represents a snapshot of current knowledge and will continue to evolve as new viruses are discovered. New human-infective viruses are being discovered all the time. Any one of them could be Disease X – the cause of the next pandemic. Our database will help researchers characterise the threat and prepare for it. Professor Mark Woolhouse Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Usher Institute Cite as Zhang, F., Lu, L., Brierley, L. et al. A complete catalogue of human-infective RNA viruses. Sci Data 13, 981 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-026-07281-5 Further informationRead the study in Scientific DataEdinburgh Infectious Diseases This article was published on Monday 6 July 2026
