Monkey B virus: Causes, symptoms, transmission; Is it contagious?

New Delhi, July 19: A Beijing-based veterinarian who was confirmed as China''s first human infection case with Monkey B virus (BV) has died, amid rising concerns, the official media here reported.

Causes

B virus infections in people are usually caused by macaque monkeys. These kinds of monkeys are commonly infected with B virus, but they usually do not have symptoms, or have just mild disease. Other primates, such as chimpanzees and capuchin monkeys, can become infected with B virus and will frequently die from these infections. There have not been documented cases of such primates spreading B virus except to macaques.

B virus infections in people are rare. Since B virus was identified in 1932, only 50 people have been documented to have infections; 21 of them died. Most of these people got infected after they were bitten or scratched by a monkey, or when tissue or fluids from a monkey got on their broken skin, such as by needle stick or cut. In 1997, a researcher died from B virus infection after bodily fluid from an infected monkey splashed into her eye.

Hundreds of bites and scratches occur every year in monkey facilities in the United States, but people rarely get infected with B virus. A study of more than 300 animal care workers showed that none had B virus infection, including the 166 workers who had possible exposures to monkeys.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms typically start within one month of being exposed to B virus, but could appear in as little as three to seven days.

The first indications of B virus infection are typically flu-like symptoms:

• fever and chills
• muscle ache
• fatigue
• headache

Then, you may develop small blisters in the wound or area on your body that had contact with the monkey.

Other symptoms may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Hiccups

Monkey b virus transmission

The virus, initially isolated in 1932, is an alphaherpesvirus enzootic in macaques of the genus Macaca. It can be transmitted via direct contact and exchange of bodily secretions and has a fatality rate of 70 per cent to 80 per cent.

Alphaherpesvirinae is a subfamily of viruses in the family Herpesviridae, primarily distinguished by reproducing more quickly than other subfamilies in the Herpesviridae.

Prevention

There are no vaccines that can protect you against B virus infection.

If you are in a place where there are macaque monkeys, you should stay away from them so that you do not get bitten or scratched. You should not touch or feed monkeys.