HIV particle budding from a cell. Image by the CDC.

When thinking about human viruses, we usually associate them with terrible diseases such as AIDS, measles, and Ebola. Bacteria were viewed in the same way when people discovered that they were the cause of many infectious diseases. Later, it became evident that many bacteria who live on and inside our bodies are beneficial. Could the same be true about viruses?
This article describes recent research about a virus named GB virus-C that may actually be beneficial for some people infected with HIV and possibly Ebola. However, more research is needed before final conclusions can be drawn.

The New England Journal of Medicine has published an interactive graphic to track the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The map contains information on past outbreaks too as well as basic description of the disease, how it spreads, etc. You can view the graphic on the NEJM website.