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New York - A new Ebola virus species discovered in bats in Sierra Leone has never been detected in sick humans or other animals, a new study shows.
It's the first finding of its type, according to the researchers.
The newly identified species - called Bombali - has the potential to infect human cells. But it's not known whether it has already caused human infections or if it is harmful to humans.
"If you want to prevent Ebola outbreaks, it's important to know which species are hosts and can shed the virus. Then we can help target changes in behavior so we can protect people, which is the overarching goal of our work," said study co-lead author Tracey Goldstein.
It's the first finding of its type, according to the researchers.
The newly identified species - called Bombali - has the potential to infect human cells. But it's not known whether it has already caused human infections or if it is harmful to humans.
"If you want to prevent Ebola outbreaks, it's important to know which species are hosts and can shed the virus. Then we can help target changes in behavior so we can protect people, which is the overarching goal of our work," said study co-lead author Tracey Goldstein.
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