EMERGING respiratory virus threats are back in the spotlight, as experts warn that two little-known pathogens, influenza D and canine coronavirus HuPn-2018, could play a major role in future human epidemics. These viruses cause respiratory infections that can lead to pneumonia and are currently spreading largely under the radar.
Why These New Viruses Matter
The authors note that the world has already been “fooled” twice in recent years, with novel influenza and coronaviruses in 2009 and 2019 causing rapid global spread and substantial deaths. They argue that, although science now has effective tools for many bacterial and vector borne diseases, novel respiratory viruses of zoonotic origin still repeatedly trigger large human outbreaks. Within the Orthomyxoviridae and Coronaviridae families, influenza D virus (IDV) and canine coronavirus HuPn-2018 (CCoV-HuPn-2018) stand out as major newly recognised threats.
Emerging Virus Threats in Animals and Humans
Influenza D was first identified in pigs with respiratory illness and is now found widely in cattle and other animals. Evidence suggests it can infect humans, especially people working closely with livestock, and some studies indicate it may already spread between humans. Canine coronavirus HuPn-2018 was first isolated from a child with pneumonia in Malaysia and has since been detected in people with respiratory illness in several countries, including Haiti, Thailand, the USA, and Vietnam. Worryingly, this virus is completely missed by common clinical tests for respiratory infections, meaning cases are likely going undetected.
Call for Better Surveillance and Clinical Awareness
The authors warn that there are still no approved laboratory tests or vaccines for these two emerging respiratory virus threats, and current knowledge relies on limited research. They call for targeted surveillance at the human–animal interface, wider use of broad “panspecies” and next-generation sequencing diagnostics, and development of specific PCR tests. Clinicians, they argue, should consider influenza D and CCoV-HuPn-2018 when routine panels fail to find a cause of pneumonia, and researchers should begin assessing antivirals and, if justified, vaccines. The message is clear: unless surveillance and preparedness improve, the world risks being “fooled” yet again by the next novel respiratory virus.
Reference
Gray GC et al. Emerging respiratory virus threats from influenza D and canine coronavirus HuPn-2018. Emerg Infect Dis. 2026;32(1):1-6.
