Hong Kong reports its first human case of monkey-borne B virus. The infection struck a 37-year-old man who was hospitalized in serious condition, Bloomberg reports, after being attacked by a pack in a park. Local health authorities are investigating the infection and are warning the population of do not touch or feed wild monkeys. Anyone injured by a monkey should seek medical attention immediately, recommends the Health Protection Center.
Symptoms
The young man entered hospital on March 21 with fever and loss of consciousness. According to what his family reported, the man had been at the end of February injured during a visit to Kam Shan Country Park, a hiking destination known for its pack of wild monkeys. The B virus or Herpesvirus simiae is naturally present in the saliva, urine and feces of macaques, explains the Hong Kong Department of Health. Infected people may initially exhibit flu-like symptomswhich however risk progressing to an infection of the central nervous system.
Human-to-human transmission
The disease can cause severe brain damage or lead to death if not treated immediately. B virus infections have also been reported in the past in the USA, Canada, Japan and mainland China. Human-to-human transmission of the pathogen is considered rare.
