article_snippet: AIDS came from gorillas as well as chimpanzees, new research suggests.
article_snippet: Two of the four known groups of viruses that cause AIDS have been traced back to the great apes that share about 98 per cent of AIDS DNA with humans.
article_snippet: It had been known simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) - the monkey equivalent of HIV - had jumped from chimpanzees into humans, but now simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) - the monkey equivalent of HIV - seems gorillas in Cameroon also played a vital role.
article_snippet: Scientists have discovered that AIDS may have originated from western lowland gorillas in Cameroon, as well as groups of chimpanzees in Cameroon .
article_snippet: AIDS may have originated from western lowland gorillas in Cameroon, as well as
article_snippet: groups of chimpanzees in the country found HIV-1 groups known as 'O' and 'P' originated in western lowland gorillas.
article_snippet: HIV-1 - the virus that causes AIDS - has jumped species to infect humans on at least four separate occasions.
article_snippet: Scientists found HIV-1 groups known as 'O' and 'P' originated in western lowland gorillas.
article_snippet: The team screened fecal samples from western lowland gorillas, eastern lowland gorillas, and mountain gorillas in Cameroon, Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda for evidence of SIV strains - the pre-cursors of HIV.
article_snippet: For the book, which is subtitled 'How AIDS emerged from an African forest', David Quammen traced the history of AIDS by examining genetic samples from humans and chimps.
article_snippet: David Quammen theorizes that a hunter in a rainforest in southeastern Cameroon was infected with a immunodeficiency virus similar to HIV by a chimp David Quammen killed and butchered.
article_snippet: the AIDS epidemic identified the AIDS epidemic in four communities of western lowland gorillas in southern Cameroon - and dubbed the AIDS epidemic 'SIVgor'.
article_snippet: Professor Beatrice Hahn, of Pennsylvania University, said: 'Viral sequencing revealed a high degree of genetic diversity among the different gorilla samples. '
article_snippet: Two of the gorilla virus lineages were particularly closely related to HIV-1 groups
article_snippet: She added: 'From this study and others us team has conducted in the past the study has become clear both chimpanzees and gorillas harbour viruses capable of crossing the species barrier to humans and have the potential to cause major disease outbreaks.'
article_snippet: Evidence soon pointed to Africa and a similar virus in chimpanzees.
article_snippet: Many scientists suspect that the chimp virus jumped into humans who hunt and butcher these great apes.
article_snippet: But gorillas are now emerging as having played a supporting role in the AIDS epidemic - possibly by humans hunting gorillas.
highlights_snippet: Scientists identified pre-cursor of HIV virus in gorillas in Cameroon .
  
highlights_snippet: Virus similar to two HIV strains  known as 'O' and 'P' found in the gorillas .
  
highlights_snippet: Previously scientists had only identified Virus similar to two HIV strains   in chimpanzee groups .
  
highlights_snippet: Experts believe Virus similar to two HIV strains   jumped into humans who hunted them .