So, in the clamour to conserve a host of iconic species, is there a case for us to be more realistic about our ability to intervene?

BBC: Why such a fuss about extinction?

Scientists are working to figure out which species could now be playing host to the virus, and one possibility is pigs.

NPR: Bird Flu 101: How Bad Is The New H7N9 Strain?

We now know that the hot-springs that sustain these "vent" ecosystems occur in every ocean basin and are host to hundreds of previously unknown animal species.

CNN: Probing the ocean's undiscovered depths

Although few pathogens can survive in both an animal and a human host, there is laboratory evidence that resistance can be passed across the species barrier through meat products.

BBC: Animals and antibiotics: the risks

Prof Rambukkana also believes it is "probable" that other species of bacteria would have evolved the same ability to reprogramme their host.

BBC: Leprosy bacteria use 'biological alchemy'