Disease

Bats Found Carrying Viruses Like SARS and Influenza

A consortium of scientists from around the world announced the discovery of a new virus from a Chinese horseshoe bat that is a close genetic match to the coronavirus that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak.

Nearly 8,500 people in 29 countries were sickened by that viral strain, with 916 dying from complications.

Writing in the journal Nature, the researchers call the new virus WIV1 and say stored antibodies from seven earlier SARS cases were able to knock it out.

Other researchers announced the discovery of a new flu virus in Peruvian bats.

Called A/bat/Peru/10, it belongs to a family of viruses known as influenza A. Initial tests indicate that the new strain is unable to infect humans.

Bats are known reservoirs of many types of pathogens that have developed the ability to infect people.

The flying mammals are the suspected source of the virus causing the current outbreak of MERS in the Middle East.

 

Newcastle Disease in Cyprus

The Cypriot veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of Newcastle disease in Larnaca, affecting broilers and laying hens.