Scientists report first evidence of flu in bats

February 29, 2012 by legitgov

Scientists report first evidence of flu in bats 29 Feb 2012 For the first time, scientists have found evidence of flu in bats, reporting a never-before-seen virus whose risk to humans is unclear. The surprising discovery of genetic fragments of a flu virus is the first well-documented report of it in the winged mammals. About five years ago, Russian virologists claimed finding flu in bats, but they never offered evidence. If the virus mingled with more common forms of influenza, it could swap genes and mutate into something more dangerous, a scenario at the heart of the global flu epidemic movie "Contagion." [Yes, and US bioterrorists are busy little bees, hoping life will imitate art.]