Infectious Diseases In Animals

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01/28/2000

Jan. 28, 2000

Infectious Diseases In Animals

Scientists reported last week that diseases among animals may be on the rise. Habitat changes, climate changes, and increased contact between wildlife and domesticated animals all seem to be contributing to the uptick in animal illness -- but, the authors of the article in Science magazine say, people aren't paying enough attention to the threat this problem may pose.In addition to putting additional stress on already threatened wildlife, animal diseases sometimes can -- and do -- cross over into humans. In the past year, researchers announced that they believe they have evidence that the HIV virus may have originally been passed to humans slaughtering chimpanzees for food. Lyme disease, a tick-borne illness harbored by white-footed mice, is on the rise. Nipah virus, thought to have originated in pig populations in Asia, killed over a hundred people in Malaysia last year. And the outbreak of West Nile virus among bird populations in the northeastern U.S. has been listed as the cause of over a dozen human deaths as well. Ebola virus may have originated in another animal host. (CDC image) What are the risks to humans, and is there anything that we can do to reduce the threat from these animal diseases? In this hour of Science Friday, we'll take a look at increase in animal diseases, the causes for the increase, and what it all means. We'll also find out about a newly discovered virus that may be linked to deaths of several marine mammals, including whales and dolphins

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