 Initially, the name of that effort was to be called the Pacific Ornithological Observation Project but this was changed for obvious reasons.First isolated in 1964 the tick-borne virus was discovered in "Ornithodoros capensis" ticks, found in a nest of common noddy ("Anous stolidus") at Sand Island, Johnston Atoll.It was designated "Johnston Atoll Virus" and is related to influenza.