Unveiling the hidden threats: a review of pathogen diversity and public health risks from bats, rodents, and non-human primates in Zambia (1990–2022)

Abstract

The findings starkly illuminate significant zoonotic public health threats amidst glaring under-surveillance of zoonoses in humans in Zambia. This critical gap calls urgently for enhanced active, passive and syndromic surveillance activities to identify new diseases and provide evidence-based measures to safeguard public health from emerging infectious risks in Zambia and the Southern African sub-region, considering the country's position as a regional transport hub.