It appears as though a new outbreak of the Nipah virus has emerged in Bangladesh. I first read about this virus in a recent National Geographic Magazine. It has been traced to bats, and has a fatality rate of about 75%. The NG article discussed a case in Australia, where horses were eating underneath a fig tree. The horses proceeded to get very sick, and then die, and the disease spread to humans.
Considering the amount of discussion about Bird Flu, and several front page articles, I think this is of significant concern because of the way it is transferred.
Bad figs, dates or other fruit that may be imported at some point, the Bush Administration's gutting of regulations, as seen with the recent baby food and pet food scares...a lax or completely understaffed FDA is a real problem.
I don't have much to add, considered this less comment worthy and more diary worthy...maybe not even posting in the right place, but zoonotic viruses are very intriguing.