Prior to the emergence of Hendra virus in Australia in 1994, paramyxoviruses were considered to be a taxonomic group of ubiquitous pathogens, consisting primarily of Biosafety Level 2 agents, which possessed narrow host ranges and often caused only mild or preventable diseases in humans and animals. In recent years, a number of Paramyxoviridae members have emerged, including previously unrecognized human pathogens and highly pathogenic zoonoses. The recent emergence of paramyxoviruses in humans suggests that there is an increased incidence of zoonotic transmission between wildlife, livestock and human hosts. This article explores the current body of scientific knowledge, disease burden and knowledge of reservoirs of these emerging paramyxoviruses and provides a comparative review of both older and emerging viruses that have been shown to infect humans.