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Summary
What does a virus that killed a donkey, a kangaroo, and a giant rodent in a German zoo have in common with a virus that lurks in healthy bats in Uganda? Both are the long-sought close relatives of the virus that causes rubella, or German measles, in humans, according to a new study. Scientists had never identified close relatives of the virus, leaving it as the only member of its genus, Rubivirus. But with a report in this week's issue of Nature, rubella has gained a family. The findings strongly suggest that at some point in the past, a similar virus jumped from animals to humans, giving rise to today's rubella virus, the researchers say. Although neither of the new viruses is known to infect humans, the fact that a related virus jumped species raises concerns that the two viruses or other, as-yet-unknown relatives could cause human outbreaks.
