Washington, April 24 : Scientists have discovered a new infectious virus, the genetic study of which may help enhance the safety of organ transplant recipients.

Researchers at Columbia University, who made the discovery, say that the new virus is related to, but distinct from, known strains of lymphocytic choreomeningitis virus (LCMV), which has been implicated in a small number of cases of disease transmission by organ transplantation.

The study for the identification of the virus began after the unfortunate deaths of three organ transplant recipients in Australia in January. All of them had received organs from the same deceased donor last December.

The closely spaced deaths of the patients prompted the researchers at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory in Melbourne to believe that their transplants might have exposed them to a deadly infectious agent.

When the researchers could not identify any known pathogen even after applying standard tests, they turned towards scientists at the Greene Infectious Disease Laboratory of the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University, who have been developing new techniques for diagnosing infectious diseases.

The new finding was announced by the Victoria Department of Health Services during a news conference in Australia on April 22. (ANI)