HIV Ancestor Shows Virus Older, More Widely Spread

“An ancient predecessor to the virus that causes AIDS evolved in wild primates many millions of years earlier than previously believed, according to research published yesterday by the Stanford University School of Medicine…The discovery also bolsters scientific hunches that HIV-like viruses may be more broadly distributed among primates and other wildlife than previously thought, posing a potential risk for humans in close contact with these animals. Primates in Africa passed on the two strains of HIV circulating among humans, scientists are convinced.” [Gaurdian]