( CNN ) -- French researchers have identified a new human immunodeficiency virus , the first derived from gorillas , a report said Monday . A new virus is difficult to detect by tests because it is not closely related to the other three HIV variants . The three previous HIV variants came from chimpanzees . The new findings indicate that gorillas , in addition to chimpanzees , are likely sources of HIV , the researchers concluded in a report published in the weekly Nature Medicine journal . The new virus , called RBF 168 , was detected in a 62-year-old woman who moved to Paris , France , from the western Africa nation of Cameroon , the report says . She tested positive for HIV in 2004 , and researchers led by Jean-Christophe Plantier identified the virus as being closely related to a recently discovered simian immunodeficiency virus ( SIV ) . The new gorilla virus `` has many of the biological properties necessary for human infection , '' the report says . `` The human case described here does not seem to be an isolated incident , as before coming to Paris the subject had lived in the semiurban area of Yaounde , the capital of Cameroon , and reported no contact with apes or bush meat , '' the researchers said . That would indicate that the woman contracted the virus from another human . The significance of the latest findings is difficult to determine without more information , said Robert C. Gallo , who co-discovered HIV in 1984 . `` It 's yet to be known , '' Gallo said . `` It could be zero . ... Let 's see a more full report on this individual and let 's see wider testing . '' Anthony S. Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , calls the latest HIV variant `` an oddity '' but said it 's not surprising that it cropped up , because the virus has been circulating in non-human primates for centuries . The three previous HIV variants are labeled M , N and O . The new one has been classified P. The N and O variants , Fauci said , are extremely rare . `` It 's not significant unless it establishes itself as a predominant strain , '' he said . `` We have not seen that with N and O . '' Fauci lumps the new P variant with the rare group because it has been detected in only one patient . If it were widespread , Fauci said , `` we would already know about it . When these things happen , you see a lot of them around . '' Even if the new variant proves lethal , it 's not likely to increase AIDS infections , said Gallo , director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine . There are so many HIV variations , he said , that one more is not likely to make a difference . The new virus is difficult to detect by conventional tests because it is not closely related to the other three HIV variants . `` This demonstrates that HIV evolution is an ongoing process , '' co-researcher David Robertson of the University of Manchester said in a release . `` The virus can jump from species to species , from primate to primate , and that includes us ; pathogens have been with us for millions of years and routinely switch host species . '' HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , which attacks the body 's immune system , giving rise to lethal infections . Patients diagnosed with HIV can take medications to delay or stop HIV from developing into AIDS . There are 33 million confirmed cases of AIDS worldwide . The unnamed woman has no signs of AIDS and remains untreated , Nature Medicine said . The most likely explanation for the emergence of the new virus is gorilla-to-human transmission , though researchers say they can not rule out the possibility that the chimpanzee SIV gave rise to the new strain `` either indirectly by transmission to gorillas and then to humans or directly by transmission to humans and also to gorillas . '' Researchers said they do n't know how widespread the virus is among humans . `` The human prevalence of this new lineage remains to be determined , '' the report says , adding that `` it could be circulating unnoticed in Cameroon or elsewhere . '' Western Central Africa bears close watching , the researchers suggest . `` In conclusion , our findings indicate that gorillas , in addition to chimpanzees , are likely sources of HIV-1 , '' the report states . `` The discovery of this novel HIV-1 lineage highlights the continuing need to watch closely for the emergence of new HIV variants , particularly in western central Africa , the origin of all existing HIV-1 groups . '' Co-researcher Robertson noted that the new virus may not be restricted to Africa . `` It also highlights how human mobility can rapidly transfer a virus from one geographical location to another as has been dramatically evident with the recent emergence of swine flu , '' he said .
Strain is the first known to be derived from gorillas . 62-year-old woman who moved to Paris from Cameroon found to have RBF 168 . Score: 6