key: cord-0694512-6dj1txzg
authors: Emmanuel Sunday, Okeke; Chinasa Valerie, Olovo; Ndidi Ethel, Nkwoemeka; Charles Obinwanne, Okoye; Chidiebele Emmanuel Ikechukwu, Nwankwo; Chisom Joshua, Onu
title: Microbial Ecology and Evolution is key to Pandemics: using the Coronavirus model to mitigate future Public Health Challenges
date: 2022-05-18
journal: Heliyon
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09449
sha: 90ade69aa220ed9cbbd8491b456f39d994f96296
doc_id: 694512
cord_uid: 6dj1txzg

Pandemics are global challenges that lead to total disruption of human activities. From the inception of human existence, all pandemics have resulted in loss of human lives. The coronavirus disease caused by SAR-CoV-2 began in China and is now at the global scale with an increase in mortality and morbidity. Numerous anthropogenic activities have been implicated in the emergence and severity of pandemics, including COVID-19. These activities cause changes in microbial ecology, leading to evolution due to mutation and recombination. This review hypothesized that an understanding of these anthropogenic activities would explain the dynamics of pandemics. We used the recent coronavirus model to study issues leading to microbial evolution, preventing future pandemics. Our review highlighted anthropogenic activities, including deforestation, mining activities, waste treatment, burning of fossil fuel, as well as international travels as drivers of microbial evolution leading to pandemics. Furthermore, human-animal interaction has also been implicated in pandemic incidents. Our study recommends substantial control of such anthropogenic activities as having been highlighted as ways to reduce the frequency of mutation, reduce pathogenic reservoirs, and the emergence of infectious disease.

The sarbecoviruses, which are the subgenus of the beta-coronaviruses to which SARS-CoV and 210 SARS-CoV-2 belong, undergo frequent genetic recombination across host-species boundaries 211 (Boni et al., 2020; Singh and Yi, 2021) . Two important factors that characterize variant spread are There is an increased infectivity rate of these new variants, and a deeper understanding of the evolutionary trends of the SARS-CoV-2 variants' genome would aid in effectively controlling the 239 pandemic and making better-informed decisions on vaccine development.

Emerging infectious diseases, implicated in epidemics and pandemics, result primarily from the 241 inter-species transmission of viruses from animals to humans. This animal-human viral 242 transmission can occur through genetic mechanisms such as recombination and mutations that give 243 a virus new feature and enable the virus to bind and enter a new host cell with greater efficiency, 244 avoid the immune system, and modify its virulence as in the case of the coronaviruses (CoVs).

Studies have shown that bats are the primary reservoirs for several CoVs, including SARs-CoV 246 and MERS-CoV, and that genetic recombination of viruses within a species is an essential 247 evolutionary process that gives rise to genetic diversity and results in new viral characteristics 248 (Longdon et al., 2014; Shahhosseini et al., 2021) . Several structural and non-structural proteins are 249 present in CoVs, with the Spike protein, S-protein being the most studied structural protein and 250 plays a significant role in the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV.

Generally, RNA viruses to which SARS-CoV-2 belongs to are known to be more genetically Secondly, mutations also arise because of recombination between two viral lineages, and finally, 258 genomic diversity may emerge as a result of the host RNA editing system (Akkiz, 2021; van Dorp

The accumulation of mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome is relatively slow compared to other proofreading mechanism that corrects any grave error during the replication process and SARS-

CoV-2 sequence diversity is very low (Akkiz, 2021; Korber et al., 2020; Grubaugh et al., 2018) .

As a result, SARS-CoV-2 has been reported to incorporate only two single-nucleotide 304 polymorphisms per month in its genome. Although the mutation rate of SARS-CoV-2 is relatively 305 slow, about 12 000 mutations have already been identified in its genome, and researchers are 306 tirelessly working to determine whether any evolutionary advantage is conferred by these 307 mutations (Callaway, 2020). The fidelity of viral enzymes that replicate nucleic acids as SARS- We conducted this review following the methodological framework of various academic articles.

The process involved a thorough review and involved searching for the most detailed and relevant 351 works. Our search focused on the keywords for the current review. Specifically, we search 352 databases for data on ecology, evolution, pandemic, coronavirus, and anthropogenic. A further 353 search was conducted for anthropogenic activities, effects on the environment as well as 354 contribution to pandemics. Using the available information, we synthesized the link between 355 microbial ecology and evolution. All data used for this review were secondary data. All secondary 

Pyrite is a vital waste usually stable until exposed to oxygen and water (Sun et al., 2019) . This Man has continued to burn fossil fuels to meet needs but has burnt at a much higher rate in recent The soil environment is dynamic in terms of biotic and abiotic components is high in microbial 

The recent COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, in November 2019 but was quickly transmitted 585 to all continents by February 2020 (Lalaoui et al., 2020) . This transmission to other climes was 586 due to international travels. China is known for its relevance in international trade and as an 587 essential destination to businesses. Before the suspension on international travels, heavy traffic in 588 and out of China could explain the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to the pandemic state.

SARS-CoV-2 spread first within the People's Republic of China (PRC) and then to other countries 590 worldwide. This spread within PRC states was more of person-to-person infection, moving to 591 states due to inland travels. The spread was faster initially due to the lack of information on the 592 etiology of the disease. However, with increased awareness of the etiology, movement restrictions 593 were suggested as a good control measure. The strategies aim to prevent a future pandemic and thus reduce the hazards it poses to human 603 health. Knowing the factors contributing to pandemics can help prevent future disease outbreaks.

In the transmission of infections, pathogen-laden droplets and aerosols generated during 605 respiratory events such as speaking, coughing, and sneezing play significant roles (Bhattacharjee 606 et al. 2021 (Bhattacharjee 606 et al. , 2020 Ngonghala et al. 2020) . Therefore, adopting a robust strategy in use, prioritizing, pandemic.

Research, 2(1), 00013-02016.

Genetic diversity and disease 1159 control in rice