One in six monkeys eaten as bush meat in Cameroon are infected with the simian equivalent of HIV, raising fears that new strains of HIV could develop through the bush meat trade. Researchers from France鈥檚 Institute for Research and Development in Montpellier and a team from the Cameroon government found that, of 800 monkeys caught, about 130 had the virus, which is thought to have mutated at some time into HIV after infecting hunters. 鈥淭he study suggests a high degree of human exposure to SIV through hunting and handling monkeys for their meat,鈥 says Martine Peeters of the IRD. Her team found SIV in 13 of the 16 species they caught, and identified five new strains of SIV.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Technology
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
News
Mind
THC in cannabis may reduce nightmares in people with PTSD
News
Environment
Fishers detonate a bomb every hour on one Indonesian coral reef
News
Environment
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
News
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles