Whitespot syndrome is a disease caused by a family of related viruses.
Now, some researchers say, they fear that a related virus may also make the jump into people.
So the scientists decided to work with a closely related virus, a human adenovirus.
The order Mononegavirales is the taxonomic home of numerous related viruses.
These closely related viruses are two of the nine herpesviruses known to have humans as their primary host.
Sometimes infection with one closely related virus protects against another virus.
"It could be a different immunological problem or a related virus that is easier to fight," he said.
A second, related virus has also been found in West Africa.
In 1976, related viruses were described in several other species of animals.
For example, some protect against infection with related viruses.