Human metapneumovirus is basically a common cold that any person can catch, but it is most common in kids under 5. A study shows that even though HMPV was discovered in 2001, it has been in circulation amongst humans for about 50 years. Professor Dr Ron Fouchier from ErasmusMC in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, discovered that our HMPV is closely related to avian metapneumovirus C, which is a virus that effects birds. Scientists are now suggesting that HMPV evolved from the bird virus that now affects humans. Click here to read the full article.
I think that this discovery is extremely interesting! The thought that a common cold that affects us humans, could have come from a virus affecting birds is extraordinary. If we study how the virus affects the birds, perhaps we could get a better understanding of how to deal with it as it affects us. We could also see how the virus evolves and how it affects different organisms, giving us a good idea as to how it operates and what exactly it attacks.
I think its pretty crazy how a virus that affects humans came from birds. And since scientists found this valuable information, we now know what to expect and see what it does. This will help the world immensely. Scientists have finally found this out in 2001 even though its been like this for fifty years. Come on now. We’re smarter than that.
How was the common cold only discovered in 2001? Is there more than one tupe of common cold? Wouldn’t that just make it not-so-common? If not everybody has the same thing and HMPV is just one type of cold, how can we be sure where it came from?
Maybe all types of cold originated from animals. This article has shown it as a possibility. But if we’re just now discovering this type of cold, many new types may have spread from it by now.
Shouldn’t scientists keep up Fouchier’s process, and test other animals for our illnesses?
Thats really weird that this disease came from a bird and evolved into the common cold. Is that why on the news the government is trying tokeep the birds out of the USA.