New illness killing African primates

[Catherine]

I think there are lots of viruses out there. We are unaware of most of them. They are mostly stable in that they affect some particular population, but they don't wipe it out or the virus wouldn't survive.

We end up with problems when viruses are transmitted to people(animals) who are not normally part of the host population.
When they put a highway through a wild area many viruses are encountered and transmitted. When they started eating normally inaccessible populations of animals, viruses are transmitted.

When they created the polio vaccine (and other research projects) they used primates and exposed humans and other animals to new viruses. They also did not in any way use sterile techniques when mass vaccinating or when creating vaccines.

When humans traveled from one part of the world to another they brought their local viruses with them and almost wiped out some indigenous populations. 

We have also created a situation where  viruses can encounter each other and share genetic material and create newer and stronger vaccines.

Our farming methods are breeding grounds for diseases and disease mutations.

We are causing these problems with viruses, but not by intention. We are doing it the same way we are causing climate change.
It is a side effect of our human activities which are often not well thought out.

I just hope this in not going to be another serious epidemic.