News Release: Research
Sep. 29, 2009
Microbes in the Mist
Gorilla Vet Tracks Germs for Global Health
Photo by Innocent RwegoFrom eScienceCommons
Microbes in the mist
Innocent Rwego grew up in Uganda, near the habitat of endangered mountain gorillas. He became a gorilla veterinarian, and is now an Emory post-doctoral fellow, studying how the overlap of humans, domestic animals and wildlife contributes to the transmission of disease and parasites.
The work is important to global health. While the H1N1 flu outbreak started in pigs, ebola and HIV have been linked to wild primates, which are also susceptible to human diseases.
“I care about the health of all animals – including man,” Rwego says.
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