"NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Evidence of retroviruses and herpes viruses in illegally imported wildlife meat products confiscated at U.S. international airports has been found using new technology known as DNA barcoding. This method uses a short genetic marker in an organism's DNA to identify it as belonging to a particular species."
"DNA barcoding revealed the species of butchered African animals seized at five U.S. airports during a study that aims to establish methods of determining the public health risks from wildlife products being smuggled into the United States.
Some of the seized meat was from endangered and threatened chimpanzees, baboons and monkeys and some was infected with the herpes virus and the HIV-related simian foamy virus."
Environment News Service had the story January 10, 2012.
