Comparative Genomics of Zoonotic Pathogens: Genetic Determinants of Host Switching and Cross-Species Transmission

Olabisi Lawal 1 * , Ezekiel Tosin Babatunde 2, Ismaila Muhammed 3, Quadri N. Okiki 4, Eze Samson Chibueze 5, Victor Omeiza David 6, Caleb Otabil 7, Okabeonye Sunday Agbo 8, Ikechukwu kanu 9, Oyebamiji Abdulhalim Ololade 10
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1 Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Benin, Benin City,Nigeria
2 Department of Environmental Sciences / Environmental Sciences Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
3 Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Department of Mathematics.
4 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Northern Illinois University, Dekalb, USA
5 Global Health and Infectious Disease Control Institute, Nasarawa State University
6 Department of Neurosurgery, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. United Kingdom.
7 Department of Public Health and Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology The School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
8 Department of Applied Biology and Biotechnology ,Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Agbani, Nigeria.
9 Department of Chemistry, Ball State University, Muncie Indiana
10 Department of Physiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.
* Corresponding Author
J CLIN MED KAZ, Volume 22, Issue 5, pp. 80-92. https://doi.org/10.23950/jcmk/16937
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Author Contributions: O.P.L. conceptualized the idea. O.P.L., E.T.B., I.M., and QON reviewed the literature. O.P.L., U.C.V., I.M., E.S.C., V.O.D., C.O., O.S.A., I.K., and O.A.O. wrote the manuscript. All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript for submission.

ABSTRACT

Emerging infectious diseases of animals that spread to humans (zoonoses) continue to represent a major threat to public health throughout the world. Knowledge of genetic elements that enable pathogens to navigate host shifts and species jumps is crucial for predicting and preventing zoonotic cross-species transmission. Comparative genomics, comparing whole-genome sequences across a range of hosts and pathogens, provides a powerful means to dissect the molecular determinants of zoonotic emergence. Here, we summarize and discuss recent advances in the understanding of genetic modifications that enable host switching and cross-species transmission by selected zoonotic pathogens. We review how comparative genomic analyses revealed the critical importance of factors such as receptor-binding domain evolution, immune evasion genes, and virulence determinants in improving pathogen fitness in new hosts.The review also highlights the integration of genomic data into One Health surveillance frameworks, enabling real-time monitoring, early detection, and improved outbreak response. Despite these advances, challenges including sampling bias, incomplete genomic databases, misannotation, and the complexity of predicting phenotype from genotype limit the field’s potential. Furthermore, ethical and biosafety concerns in studying high-risk zoonotic pathogens necessitate careful governance. We outline future directions, emphasizing the need for expanded wildlife sampling, longitudinal studies of host-pathogen co-evolution, and the application of artificial intelligence in zoonotic risk assessment. Building comprehensive, globally accessible genomic databases is essential for coordinated pathogen tracking and risk mitigation. Ultimately, comparative genomics is indispensable for understanding and managing zoonotic threats, and its continued advancement, integrated within interdisciplinary, data-driven One Health strategies, will be critical to preventing future pandemics.
Keywords: Comparative Genomics, Zoonotic Pathogens, Host Switching, Cross-Species Transmission, One Health Surveillance

CITATION

Lawal O, Babatunde ET, Muhammed I, Okiki QN, Chibueze ES, David VO, et al. Comparative Genomics of Zoonotic Pathogens: Genetic Determinants of Host Switching and Cross-Species Transmission. J CLIN MED KAZ. 2025;22(5):80-92. https://doi.org/10.23950/jcmk/16937

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