Spillover infection

Spillover infection happens when germs, like viruses or bacteria, "spill over" from one species to another. This means that germs that usually only affect one kind of animal, like a monkey, can start to make other kinds of animals, like humans, sick. This type of infection can be dangerous because humans don't usually have ways to protect themselves from these kinds of germs, so it can be difficult for our bodies to fight off the infection.