University of Sheffield - Steer clear of sickly chimps

Humans are almost four times more likely to share diseases and viruses with chimpanzees than with monkeys, to which they are less closely related, according to researchers at the University of Sheffield. The researchers worked with counterparts in California to show that infectious diseases are most often shared between species that are closely related. The research, they say, could provide a vital tool in predicting future trends of emerging diseases in humans.