Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Scientists Find First Human Infected With Gorilla HIV

Disease continues to evolve

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 3, 2009 2:48 AM CDT
Email

(Newser) – A woman from Cameroon living in Paris is the first human discovered to be infected with a form of HIV found in gorillas, HealthDay reports. The finding is yet another indication that the disease continues to mutate and to be transmitted by primates. The woman, 62, has not developed symptoms of AIDS, even though she was infected five years ago.

It’s not certain if the woman contracted HIV directly from a gorilla by, for example, eating gorilla meat, or by having sex with someone who had frequent contact with the animals’ blood, such as a gorilla hunter. Scientists believe humans were initially infected with HIV primarily from eating chimpanzee or monkey meat. "The jury is still out as to whether this is bad news relative to strains of HIV that are already circulating," cautioned an AIDS expert.

A form of HIV found in gorillas has infected a woman from Cameroon living in Paris.
A form of HIV found in gorillas has infected a woman from Cameroon living in Paris.   (AP Photo/Haika Scheffler - THE CANADIAN PRESS)
In this photo provided by the San Francisco Zoo, Hasani, the 7-month-old infant western lowland gorilla, rides on the back of his surrogate mother at the San Francisco Zoo, as another member of the troop walks in the background, Thursday, July 2, 2009 in San Francisco.
In this photo provided by the San Francisco Zoo, Hasani, the 7-month-old infant western lowland gorilla, rides on the back of his surrogate mother at the San Francisco Zoo, as another member of the troop...   (AP Photo/ San Francisco Zoo, George Nikitin)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Findings like these remind us that primates continue to transmit viruses to humans just as they did before we knew about AIDS.
- Rowena Johnston, vice president of research for AmFAR

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
Jojo
Nov 8, 2009 2:25 AM CST
Ok well its been over 20 years since I saw it, I thought I remembered them all taking turns whacking on the head with a stick, which I thought was to kill it. But now that you said that, it sounds familiar that it was still alive. Sorry for the bad memory.
cognitivefilter
Aug 3, 2009 9:24 AM CDT
yike-a-doo. let's stop poaching gorillas and this won't be an issue.
Jojo
Aug 3, 2009 8:03 AM CDT
Ever time I hear the part about "Scientists believe humans were initially infected with HIV primarily from eating chimpanzee" I think of that Faces Of Death video I saw when I was a teenager where the people sat around a table that was built to eat monkeys. There was a hole in the middle of the table and the monkey... lets just say after he was put out of his misery, they removed the top of the skull for the group of people to have dinner.

 
AIDS • HIV • Cameroon • research • infection • gorilla • virus

More Newser Stories

New AIDS Cases Hit Plateau: UN

Contraceptive Shot May Double HIV Risk

Scientists Find Trick to 'Disarm' HIV

Delighted to Meet You, Glow-in-the-Dark Kitties

Wisconsin Clinic: 2K Possibly Exposed to HIV
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne