01/11/2024
Viruses and other pathogenic organisms are quite creative in finding ways to enter new geographic areas. Just look at what the cat brought home. Pepper, who belongs to a microbiologist, caught and killed a mouse carrying the first jeilongvirus found in the United States.
Jeilongvirus can infect mammals, reptiles, birds and fish. Occasionally it causes serious illness in humans. Unfortunately (not unexpectedly), the virus isolated from Pepper's kill, had mutated into a form that makes it easier to transmit to humans.
This case illustrates the point that human infectious diseases often originate from animals.
https://www.healthday.com/health-news/pets/when-this-black-cat-crossed-his-path-it-was-a-lucky-day-for-medicineJeilingoviruses
