Recent research has revealed that a common rodent-borne disease could have far-reaching ripple effects on other species and ecosystems. Scientists from the University of Missouri-Columbia have published their findings that the rodent-borne disease, hantavirus, can spread to other species, potentially having devastating consequences for entire food webs. The research team studied the virus in deer mice, which are the primary species that carry hantavirus, to gain insight into how the virus might spread to other species. They found that hantavirus could potentially travel to other species such as rabbits, small mammals, and even birds. The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Lillian Sanderson, comments, “Hantavirus is a very real risk, and it’s important to understand how it can move through natural ecosystems and affect other species. Our findings suggest that, given the right conditions, hantavirus can have far-reaching ripple effects on other species and entire ecosystems.”

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source: Phys.org