Monkey B virus

Monkey B Virus (Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1, herpesvirus simiae, (B virus)) is a rare but highly lethal alphaherpesvirus that can be fatal to humans when spread from macaque monkeys. The last known death occurred when a worker at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center was infected in 1997. Proper personal protective equipment is essential when working with macaque monkeys. Bites and scratches must be cleansed immediately and samples from the macaque and human should be sent for B virus diagnostic testing as recommended by the B Virus Working Group here: BVIRUS.pdf