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Letter

Nature Genetics 38, 953–956 (1 August 2006) | doi:10.1038/ng1839

Emergence of a new disease as a result of interspecific virulence gene transfer

Timothy L Friesen , Eva H Stukenbrock , Zhaohui Liu , Steven Meinhardt , Hua Ling , Justin D Faris , Jack B Rasmussen , Peter S Solomon , Bruce A McDonald & Richard P Oliver

New diseases of humans, animals and plants emerge regularly. Enhanced virulence on a new host can be facilitated by the acquisition of novel virulence factors.