RNA Viruses

Viruses that infect amphibians, such as fire salamanders, reptiles and fishes, are little studied compared to the ones that affect mammals and birds. (Martin Gabriel/NPL)

Huge trove of viruses discovered in animals Researchers have discovered more than 200 previously unknown RNA viruses in fishes, amphibians and reptiles. The findings bolster our understanding of a category of virus that also affects people and includes influenza and haemorrhagic fever. Scientists also traced the viruses’ origins to reveal that they evolved alongside their hosts. RNA viruses that infect people today probably evolved from viruses that infected our vertebrate ancestors 500 million years ago. Nature | 3 min read Reference: Nature paper