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This catalogue details 239 known human-infective RNA viruses, highlighting transmission and phylogenetic data for public health research.
RNA viruses are a pervasive and serious threat to human health. Here, we provide an updated catalogue of all 239 human-infective RNA virus species recognised by the end of 2024. Based on extensive literature searches, we provide metadata on the date and location of the first reported case of human infection, transmissibility in human populations, transmission route(s) and host range. We also provide links to publicly available genome sequence data. The dataset can be used in studies of the relationships between virus traits and public health threat, the phylogenetics of those traits, the geography of emerging RNA viruses, projections of future discovery rates, and estimates of viral diversity.
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Zhang et al. (2026) studied this question.
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