Obesity May Be Contagious, Scientists Say

Mounting evidence suggests obesity is contagious, scientists said today.

A human pathogen called the adenovirus Ad-37 causes obesity in chickens, according to a new study led by Leah Whigham of the departments of Medicine and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Previous research found that two related adenoviruses, Ad-36 and Ad-5, cause obesity in animals. Adenoviruses typically cause respiratory infections.
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