Centre for Health Protection, Department of Health, HKSAR Government
Recently, an investigation is underway
Humans are infected with monkey B virus
(also known as monkey herpesvirus).
and reminds the public to avoid
Touch or feed wild monkeys
to reduce the risk of contracting the virus
The patient died in late February
Injured by a wild monkey attack
According to the Centre for Health Protection, the Hong Kong case involved a 37-year-old man who was previously in good health and was taken to the emergency department of a hospital on March 21 with fever and confusion. Currently, he is being hospitalized for treatment and is in critical condition. The patient's cerebrospinal fluid sample was tested positive for monkey B virus on 3 April.
According to the information provided by the patient's family and preliminary investigation, the patient visited Kam Shan Country Park in late February, during which he came into contact with wild monkeys and was attacked by monkeys and injured himself. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing.
A spokesman for the CFS said that the above case was the first human case of monkey B virus infection in Hong Kong recorded by the CFS, but such cases had occurred in the Mainland of the Mainland, as well as in various places such as the United States, Canada and Japan, and were mainly caused by monkey bites or scratches, and human-to-human transmission was very rare.
The CHP reminds the general public
Wild monkeys should be avoided from touching or feeding
to reduce the risk of contracting the virus
If bitten or scratched by a monkey
Wounds should be rinsed with water as soon as possible and medical attention should be sought immediately
The first case of monkey B virus infection in the mainland
Appeared in 2021
July 16, 2021
Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention Weekly Report
Continental discoveries are reported
Details of the first human case of monkey B virus infection
The patient is a 53-year-old male veterinarian who works at an institution in Beijing that specializes in non-human primate breeding and experimental research. He dissected two dead monkeys on March 4 and 6, 2021, and a month later developed symptoms of nausea and vomiting, followed by fever and neurological symptoms. The patient was seen in several hospitals and eventually died on 27 May.
Prior to this, no fatal cases of monkey B virus infection had been reported in mainland China, and no obvious cases of monkey B virus infection had been found in clinical practice. Researchers have identified the first human case of monkey B virus infection in China through next-generation sequencing and real-time polymerase chain reaction.
The discovery of the first case means that the herpes B virus in monkeys may pose a potential zoonotic threat to professional workers such as primate veterinarians, animal caregivers and laboratory researchers, the report said. There is a need to eliminate monkey B virus during the development of specific pathogen-free rhesus macaque populations and to strengthen surveillance of experimental macaques and professional workers.
What is Monkey B Virus?
Originally isolated in 1932, monkey B virus is an endemic α herpes virus in macaques that is usually transmitted through direct contact and the exchange of body secretion levels.
Monkey B virus is mainly transmitted between monkeys through mating, bites or scratches, poisonous saliva through damaged skin or mucous membranes, and can also be transmitted indirectly through fomites.
Under the influence of certain environmental and social factors, monkey B virus can cross the species barrier to infect humans, and cause human infection through monkey scratches, bites, needle, cage scratches, and mucus splashes.
Holiday outings should be kept at a distance from animals
Zoonotic diseases are exactly what the name suggests
It means that both humans and animals can suffer
Some pathogens can be found in
Diseases transmitted between humans and animals
There are many types of zoonotic diseases, and about 200 species of zoonotic diseases have been recorded, including rabies, brucellosis, anthrax, etc., and rare human infections caused by macaque herpesvirus type I (also known as B virus).
Rabies: Rabies is an acute zoonotic infectious disease caused by the rabies virus, with a case fatality rate of almost 100% after the onset of the disease, and more than 99% of the world's cases are transmitted by sick dogs.
Rabies is a disease that can be prevented through vaccination, so once you are bitten by a suspected rabies animal, you should go to the rabies exposure treatment clinic for standardized post-exposure treatment in time.
Anthrax: Anthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis and mainly occurs in diseased herbivores, such as cattle, sheep, horses, camels, etc., followed by livestock such as pigs and dogs, while human infections are mostly cutaneous anthrax.
Incidence is higher in agricultural areas, among workers engaged in slaughtering and fur processing, and among veterinarians. Humans are mainly infected through direct or indirect skin contact with sick animals and infected appendages or semi-products, inhalation of aerosols or dust containing Bacillus anthracis or its spores, and ingestion of inadequately cooked foods with the fungus. People with anthrax can also be a source of infection, but it is very rare.
The daily purchase of meat should be purchased from regular channels, and attention should be paid to the separation of raw and cooked meat during processing, and the meat should be cooked thoroughly before eating. When traveling, you should not take the initiative to come into contact with suspicious sick or dead animals or their remains, and do not eat suspected sick or dead animal meat or their products.
Brucellosis : Brucella is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium brucella. People in close contact with livestock, such as veterinarians, herders, breeders, butchers, milkers, and fur and milk processors, are susceptible to the disease. The main sources of infection associated with human brucellosis are sheep (goats and sheep), cattle, and pigs, with deer, dogs and other domestic animals playing a secondary role. It can be infected through direct contact with the skin and mucous membranes, ingestion of contaminated water or food, inhalation of droplets contaminated with brucella, dust, etc.
To prevent the disease, it is necessary not to eat undercooked meat, not to drink raw milk, to separate raw and cooked food when processing food, and to pay attention to personal protection, hand washing and disinfection, and maintain environmental hygiene when engaged in animal breeding and processing.
Zoonotic diseases are mainly transmitted by humans through close contact with animals, such as feeding and petting, and by "unfriendly" contacts, such as slaughtering, stripping, or dissection.
People who go out to play, as well as all those who work with animals that may come into contact with these animals, should be aware of disease prevention and avoid close contact with animals.
If you have to come into contact with animals due to work, you should also take care of the necessary personal protection. Living in harmony without interfering with each other may be the best way for humans to avoid zoonotic diseases.
Source: First Field Synthesis