Subscribe & Follow

Advertise your job vacancies

Lemur virus gives clues to evolution of HIV

A squirrel sized lemur from Madagascar has given scientists new evidence about the origins of the HI virus and opened up promising new avenues for investigation.

17 Dec 2008

The discovery of a HIV-like virus in Madagascar's grey mouse lemur suggests such viruses have been around for millions of years longer than previously thought. (Image: Stanford University)

The discovery of a HIV-like virus in Madagascar's grey mouse lemur suggests such viruses have been around for millions of years longer than previously thought. (Image: Stanford University)

Robert Shafer, a senior author of the research, told IRIN/PlusNews that the discovery "is one of the most important missing links" required for understanding the evolutionary history of HIV-related viruses.

Read the full article here

Share this article

NextOptions

Top stories

Surge in South African e-commerce: Top brands drive 47% growth in 2025

RetailSurge in South African e-commerce: Top brands drive 47% growth in 2025

1 hour

Erica Bopape (CM SA) is the executive for marketing and communications at Absa Business Banking. Source: Absa.

Marketing & Media#BizTrends2026 | Absa's Erica Bopape: What 2026 will demand of financial services marketers

Erica Bopape 7 hours

Effie Worldwide announces Iridium Jury for 2025 Global Best of the Best

Marketing & MediaEffie Worldwide announces Iridium Jury for 2025 Global Best of the Best

5 hours

Image source: rawpixel.com from

HR & ManagementUnemployed youth urged to apply for YearBeyond Programme opportunities

9 Jan 2026

#BizTrends2026 | Trend Group - Key office design trends to watch in 2026

Property#BizTrends2026 | Trend Group - Key office design trends to watch in 2026

Trend Group 1 hour

Image supplied.

ESG & SustainabilityShimza's Hopeful Soles project reaches 3,000 children in Gauteng

2 hours

More news

Image source: rawpixel –

Education

Central Application Service: Your key to post-school education opportunities

1 hour

Image credit:

Healthcare

Dr ChatGPT: What OpenAI’s foray into health and wellness means for healthcare marketing

Saul Marquez 4 hours

#BizTrends2026 | What are the healthcare buzz themes of 2025 into 2026?

Healthcare

#BizTrends2026 | What are the healthcare buzz themes of 2025 into 2026?

Kevin Aron, Medshield 1 hour

Buena Barnes, the new general manager for Philip Morris South Africa

HR & Management

Philip Morris SA appoints its first female GM

2 days

Nearly 23,000 pupils still unplaced as term begins

Education

Nearly 23,000 pupils still unplaced as term begins

Impaq 4 hours

Image source: atlascompany from

Legal

#BizTrends2026 | Webber Wentzel team: South Africa’s energy outlook

Jason van der Poel, Kiera Bracher, Sabeeha Loonat and Junaid Nyker 6 hours

Source: Supplied. Frank Blackmore, lead economist at KPMG.

Finance

#BizTrends2026 | KPMG's Frank Blackmore: SA's fight to stay competitive in a new economic frontier

Frank Blackmore 6 hours

Source: Supplied. Waldo Marcus, director at TPN Credit Bureau.

Construction & Engineering

#BizTrends2026 | TPN Credit Bureau's Waldo Marcus: Resilience over expansion wins the day

Waldo Marcus 6 hours

Image credit: on Pexels

ESG & Sustainability

#BizTrends2026 | Jessica Gbedemah: Gen Z and the future of influence in an always-on world

Jessica Gbedemah 6 hours

Yuneal Padayachy, Chief Support Officer at The BEE Chamber

HR & Management

#BizTrends2026 | The BEE Chamber's Yuneal Padayachy: The year B-BBEE transformation must deliver — not just report

Yuneal Padayachy 6 hours

Supplied image

Education

#BizTrends2026 | Centennial Schools' Shaun Fuchs: Reinventing education beyond the blackboard

Shaun Fuchs 6 hours

Namibian hake fishery achieves second MSC certification

Agriculture

Namibian hake fishery achieves second MSC certification

4 hours

#BizTrends2026 | DHL Express’s Venessa Dewing: How Africa’s logistics landscape will evolve in 2026

Logistics & Transport

#BizTrends2026 | DHL Express’s Venessa Dewing: How Africa’s logistics landscape will evolve in 2026

Venessa Dewing 6 hours

Image:

Legal

Driving licence card machine tender declared 'invalid' by High Court

9 Jan 2026

Source: Supplied. Eva August, chief executive officer of Century21 South Africa.

Property

#BizTrends2026 | Century21's Eva August: Why constraint breeds opportunity

Eva August 6 hours

#BizTrends2026 | Standard Bank South Africa’s Brendan Jacobs: What will shape agriculture in 2026

Agriculture

#BizTrends2026 | Standard Bank South Africa’s Brendan Jacobs: What will shape agriculture in 2026

Brendan Jacobs 6 hours

Image supplied.

Energy & Mining

#BizTrends2026 | Kwikot’s Murray Crow: Why SA’s energy future begins at the tap

Murray Crow 6 hours

Image source: robert hyrons –

HR & Management

Dangers of weaponised whistleblowing: How organisations can protect their reputations

Regine le Roux 23 hours

Image source: Racool_studio from

Legal

SA court orders release of UK arbitration records in $110m port dispute

Gavin Fitzmaurice, Sheena Dias, & Maano Manavhela 1 day

Beer bottles pass through a conveyor belt along a production line at the East African Breweries' microbrewery as the company released its half-year results in Ruaraka, Nairobi, Kenya, 26 January 2024. Reuters/Monicah Mwangi//File Photo

Legal

Kenyan beer firm asks court to block Diageo's $2.3bn EABL sale to Asahi

Duncan Miriri and Emma Rumney 8 Jan 2026

Source: Archive

Tourism & Travel

Cape Town airport sets record with 11.1 million passengers in 2025

22 hours

#BizTrends2026 | Marriott International’s Dorcas Dlamini Mbele: How South Africans will travel in 2026

Tourism & Travel

#BizTrends2026 | Marriott International’s Dorcas Dlamini Mbele: How South Africans will travel in 2026

Dorcas Dlamini Mbele 6 hours

Entrepreneurship

SA entrepreneurs get new brand-building support network

23 hours

South African school calendar dates for 2026

Education

South African school calendar dates for 2026

FundiConnect 23 hours

Image source:

HR & Management

Operational planning ahead: Is your company ready for the new parental leave laws?

Jacques Maritz 7 Jan 2026

Image source: rawpixel.com from

Legal

Adoption of latest Nice Classification: What this means for SA trade marks

Marcelle Samons and Alicia van der Walt 8 Jan 2026

Image source:

Legal

Andy Mothibi new head of the NPA in surprise appointment

7 Jan 2026

Let's do Biz