Scanning electron microscopic image of Ebola virionsPLOS BiologyAlthough Ebola viruses can cause fatal disease in humans and other primates, pigs can carry the infections with few ill effects. Now, Canadian scientists have shown that apparently healthy pigs can pass the deadliest species of Ebola to monkeys, even without ever coming into contact with them.
The study, published today (November 15) in Scientific Reports, marks the first time that the virus has spread between different species in a lab experiment, and suggests that pig farms could be facilitate such species-hopping in more natural conditions.
However, Gary Kobinger from the University of Manitoba, who led the study, cautioned that “we still don’t know if pigs are playing any role in the natural transmission or ecology of Ebola virus in Africa.”
“An epidemiological survey of wild and domestic pigs in sub-Saharan Africa is now necessary,” agreed Shigeru Morikawa from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan, who was not involved in the research.
Ebola has been found in gorillas, chimps, duikers (a small antelope), humans, and recently, pigs. The identity of its ...
