Viruses

Coronaviruses / Sars

The secret rulers

For the first time Japanese scientists discovered 1997 the TT virus in the blood of a patient. That so far still no group of viruses assigned representatives seems to be far common: According to first studies carry alone in Japan 90% of all humans for the small unknown quantities in itself. Also the Europeans did not remain exempted from him. According to newest investigations are for instance a third of the German blood donors with TTV infected. How dangerous they are, remains undecided. Because serious illnesses with a third of the population would finally be noticeable, said the Virologe Gregor Caspari of the virologischen institute in pouring. The history of the viruses goes back far.

Papilloma

Herpes

Ebola

When Christoph Kolumbus 1492 landed in Haiti, brought he and its Man smallpox exciters into the Karibikinsel. The invaders were immune because they - usually already in the infancy - had already gone through the infection. The natives however, the Caraieben,hasn't and did die almost all whenever contact with the viruses. Haiti - at that time " Hispaniola " - fell the Spaniards into the lap.

Not differently in the middle 16. Century, as which Spanish conquerer in the Inka realm, which is today's Peru, again support of smallpox viruses: A majority of the indianischen population, including the emperor, fell the epidemic to the victim. The Spaniards under Pizarro subjected the weakened and people without difficulties.

Still today go over half of all illnesses of humans world-wide on the account of the invisible exciters. Not only with masers, wind smallpox or rabies - viruses are involved also in the emergence of complex disease pictures. In the western world each tenth malicious tumor is along-caused by virus infections. Above all genetic and environmental factors play a role with cancer, for some types of cancer scientist proved a virus connection.

The hepatitis b virus is identified to Papillom viruses as trips of liver cancer, is considerably involved in the emergence of cervix cancer and other genital tumors. Also with the main cause of death in the industrialized countries viruses seem to participate: banal Adeno viruses, as cold trip constant guests in the human breath ways, and Entero viruses, which are to be found frequently in the digestive tract. then epidemiologists in extensive studies proved, increase an infection with Entero viruses the risk for cardiac infarct.

Viruses create even the branch over the type boundary and spread thus from the animal realm also among humans. Most prominent example: the humane immune weakness virus (HIV). not least the world-wide tourism ensures for the fact that " new viruses ", how they are sometimes called spread fast over all continents.

The tourism has boomt - the viruses travels also around the world. The CO existence of humans and their cell parasites goes year by year into a new round. And nevertheless the viruses have friends. Professor Ernst-Ludwig Winnacker is even supportless inspired of the tiny exciters. " I like viruses " wanted the prominent German biochemist in the passed year in its book to the topic to call. Only after the objection of the publishing house, which appeared too zynisch this title, the president of the German research council decided for " secret rulers ".