{"id":12042,"date":"2013-11-11T18:01:00","date_gmt":"2013-11-11T18:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/reasons.org\/publications\/global-distribution-of-herpes-simplex-virus-supports-biblical-account-of-human-origins\/"},"modified":"2013-11-11T18:01:00","modified_gmt":"2013-11-11T18:01:00","slug":"global-distribution-of-herpes-simplex-virus-supports-biblical-account-of-human-origins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reasons.org\/adam-eve\/first-humans\/global-distribution-of-herpes-simplex-virus-supports-biblical-account-of-human-origins","title":{"rendered":"Global Distribution of Herpes Simplex Virus Supports Biblical Account of Human Origins"},"content":{"rendered":"
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According to a recent study, the genetic variability of a worldwide sample of type I herpes simplex viral strains (HSV-1) provides independent support for the Out-of-Africa hypothesis for human origins\u2014and along with it, added credibility for the biblical account of humanity\u2019s beginnings.<\/p>\n

We have entered cold and flu season. This time of the year a lot of attention is focused on why some viral strains can be so deadly while others elicit a relatively minor response.<\/p>\n

To address this question, researchers from the University of Wisconsin at Madison used the type I  herpes simplex virus<\/a> (HSV-1) as a model system.1<\/sup> Though not responsible for the common cold, this virus serves as an excellent case study because some strains cause oral mucocutaneous lesions (cold sores) and others cause deadly encephalitis.<\/p>\n

To better grasp the relationship between virulence and genetic make up, the researchers sequenced and compared the entire genomes (consisting of about 152,000 base pairs, or genetic letters) for 31 different HSV-1 strains collected from around the world. The scientists discovered that the viral strains clustered into six groups that corresponded to different parts of the world. The groups labeled III, IV, V, and VI consist of strains found in East Africa. These groups tend to be the most diverse and appear to be the oldest. It seems as if the HSV-1 virus had its origin in East Africa. Meanwhile, group I locates to Europe and North America and group II pinpoints to East Asia. <\/p>\n

Using molecular clock analysis, the researchers estimated the strains outside of Africa arose around 50,000 years ago (\u00b1 17,000 years) and the European and North American strains separated from the East Asian strains about 33,000 years ago (\u00b1 11,000 years). They also discovered a strain that they interpret to be of Amerindian origin that arose about 16,000 years ago (\u00b1 5,000 years). <\/p>\n

The geographic distribution and time scale for the origin of the various viral strains corresponds closely to the results of human genetic variability studies that track the origin and spread of humanity around the world. For more on these previous studies, check out the following articles:<\/p>\n