Found Ebola virus in Kalimantan orangutan

Scientists at the Center for Research on Avian Influenza, Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java province, Indonesia, have reported the discovery of Ebola vius in some Kalimantan orangutans.

Senior researcher Chairil Anwar Nidom of the center said that 65 serum samples were taken from 353 healthy orangutans in the period from December 2005 to December 2006, positive for Ebola virus. These samples have just been tested because the center has not had enough technical and physical facilities before.

In addition, 6 out of 353 samples tested positive for Marburg virus - a virus similar to Ebola, causing Marburg hemorrhagic fever. 60 out of 65 positive samples with Ebola virus similar to those found in Zaire, Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire, Uganda of Africa, and 5 samples similar to Ebola virus found in Asia.

Mr. Chairil and his team say they are collecting samples from wild pigs, suspected to have transmitted the virus to the orangutans.

Ebola virus was first discovered in Congo in 1976. Recently, 16 people died in Uganda because of the disease caused by Ebola virus.