Bushmeat, E.g. Grasscutter (“Akrantie”), Rat (“Kusie”), etc – eaten in Africa causes a virus similar to HIV, an expert has warned.
Scientists do not know if the Simian Foamy Virus is harmful to humans, but are concerned it could cause disease and spread.
Bushmeat, which includes the flesh of jungle apes, is widely eaten in Africa and has been found on sale in the UK.
Professor Nathan Wolfe, from John Hopkins University in Baltimore in the US, said the virus was found in a number of people who eat bushmeat in Cameroon, western Africa.
The virus is from the same family as HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, Prof Wolfe told BBC Radio 4.
He said: “This is the area of the world that HIV came from and this is most likely the mechanism by which HIV got into the human population.
“This virus is crossing the species and we are still trying to find out what the implications are.
“The fear is other diseases will have global impact.”
Source: GhanaWeb
