The Role of Wildlife and Climate Change in the Emergence of One Health-Related Viral Diseases in Australia

Md. Wajed Ali; Md. Eram Hosen; Md. Mizanur Rahaman; Robert Kinobe; Martina Jelocnik; Subir Sarker

doi:10.3390/v18091001

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The Role of Wildlife and Climate Change in the Emergence of One Health-Related Viral Diseases in Australia

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

The Role of Wildlife and Climate Change in the Emergence of One Health-Related Viral Diseases in Australia

Md. Wajed Ali, Md. Eram Hosen, Md. Mizanur Rahaman, Robert Kinobe, Martina Jelocnik and Subir Sarker

Viruses, Vol.18(9), pp.1-37

2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v18091001

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Abstract

wildlife viruses

climate change

One Health

Australian wild animals

zoonotic

Wildlife-origin viral diseases are an increasing One Health challenge in Australia, with climate change emerging as a key driver of disease emergence, transmission, and spillover. Australian wildlife, particularly marsupials, birds, and bats, serve as important reservoirs of zoonotic and vector-borne viruses. However, the combined influence of wildlife reservoirs and climate change on viral disease ecology in Australia has not been comprehensively synthesised. This review examines the epidemiology, significance, and climate sensitivity of wildlife-associated viral diseases and evaluates how climate change and variability affect reservoir host ecology, vector biology, viral persistence, and host–pathogen–vector interactions. Thirteen major wildlife-associated viruses of One Health importance were identified, with transmission predominantly involving wildlife reservoirs and mosquito vectors. Temperature and rainfall were the principal climatic drivers influencing the transmission of Ross River virus (RRV), Barmah Forest virus (BFV), Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), West Nile virus/Kunjin virus (WNV/KUNV), and avian influenza A virus (AIV). For most mosquito-borne viruses (MBVs), temperature exhibited a non-linear relationship with transmission, while above-average rainfall generally increased outbreak risk by promoting mosquito abundance, habitat availability, and reservoir host activity. Significant knowledge gaps remain in wildlife virome surveillance, climate–disease pathways, and integrated One Health surveillance. Strengthening climate-informed surveillance that integrates wildlife, vectors, genomics, epidemiology, and predictive modelling will improve outbreak preparedness and reduce the risk of viral emergence and spillover in Australia.

Details

Title: The Role of Wildlife and Climate Change in the Emergence of One Health-Related Viral Diseases in Australia
Authors: Md. Wajed Ali - Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine
Md. Eram Hosen - Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine
Md. Mizanur Rahaman - James Cook University
Robert Kinobe - James Cook University
Martina Jelocnik - University of the Sunshine Coast
Subir Sarker (Corresponding Author) - Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine
Publication details: Viruses, Vol.18(9), pp.1-37
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date published: 2026
DOI: 10.3390/v18091001
ISSN: 1999-4915
Copyright note: © 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
Data Availability: No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.
Organisation Unit: School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991261096302621
Output Type: Journal article

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