A Global-Scale Assessment of Zoonotic Virus Diversity and Spillover Potential in Urban-Adapted Mammal Species

The repeated emergence of pandemic viruses underscores the linkages between land-use change and wildlife disease, and urban-adapted wildlife are of special interest due to their close proximity to humans. However, viral diversity within urban-adapted species and their zoonotic potential remain largely unexplored. Here we compiled a dataset of documented records spanning from 1574 to 2023 on red foxes, raccoons, raccoon dogs, masked palm civets, European hedgehogs, European shrews, wild boars and their viruses, covering 116 countries. These urban-adapted mammals host 286 virus species spanning 24 orders and 38 families, 14 of which are potentially high risk for human infection. Raccoon dogs had increased viral positivity in urban habitats compared to raccoons, wild boars and red foxes. Many viruses in urban-adapted species were phylogenetically related to those found in humans, and our data suggest possible viral spillback. These results highlight zoonotic risks associated with urban-adapted species and suggest enhanced surveillance to mitigate future outbreaks.