Bats have infected the humanity one of the most deadly diseases.
Researchers believe that leukemia appeared about 45 million years ago and then she was sick long-winged bats.
An international team of geneticists has identified the origin of leukemia, finding its traces in the remains of ancient bats.
The researchers found the remains of ancient bats traces of deltaretrovirus, which caused oceanic whitetip disease similar to leukemia. The age of the remains was about 45 million years.
“This conclusion can also be used as a tool for understanding the mechanisms of evolution of the mammals, which were changed to counter the threat from these viruses. Understanding of the history of these viruses will help scientists to better understand how they affect humans and animals at the present time,” said Dr. Robert Gifford, from the University of Glasgow.
In his words, “the discovery of these viruses fills the last major gap in the fossil record of retroviruses”.
Leukemia — a cancer in which bone marrow cells mutate and become cancer cells. Annually in the world the virus HTLV-1, causing a malignant neoplasm of the blood, affects 15 to 20 million people.
© 2017, paradox. All rights reserved.
