RBF 169-A New Strain of HIV

RBF 169-A New Strain of HIV is derived From Gorillas. Called the Gorilla Virus. It has been identified by French researchers. It is a new human immunodeficiency virus, the first believed to be derived from gorillas.

The new virus is difficult to detect by tests because it is not closely related to the other three types of HIV.

Researchers published their findings in the weekly Nature Medicine journal. The three previous HIV types came from chimpanzees. The new findings indicate that gorillas, in addition to chimpanzees, are likely sources of HIV.

This new virus is called RBF 168. French researchers detected the virus in a  62 year old woman who moved to Paris, France, from the western Africa nation of Cameroon.

She tested positive for HIV in 2004, and researchers led by Jean-Christophe Plantier identified the virus as being closely related to a recently discovered simian immunodeficiency virus, commonly known as SIV. She got the virus from human contact

The new gorilla virus “has many of the biological properties necessary for human infection,” the researchers stated. That means it can spread rapidly from person to person.

For the full story of “RBF 169-A New Strain of HIV,” or Gorilla Virus, go to CNN News.