Herpes B

B-virus (Macacine alphaherpesvirus 1; McHV-1; formerly Macacine herpesvirus 1, Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1, CHV-1), Herpesvirus simiae, or Herpes virus B is the Simplexvirus infecting macaque monkeys. B virus is very similar to HSV-1, and as such, this neurotropic virus is not found in the blood.

In the natural host, the virus exhibits pathogenesis similar to that of cold sores in humans. There have been a number of accidental infections and fatalities of researchers working with rhesus monkeys (Rhesus macaque). When humans are zoonotically infected with B virus, they can present with a severe encephalitis, resulting in permanent neurological dysfunction or death. Severity of the disease increases for untreated patients, with a case fatality rate of approximately 80%. Early diagnosis and subsequent treatment are crucial to human survival of the infection.

Personal protective equipment is necessary when working with macaques, especially with animals that have tested positive for the virus. Bites, scratches, and exposures to mucous membranes, including the eye, have led to infection when not cleaned immediately.

Tests in 2000 of around 20 macaque monkeys living in captivity in Tasmania, Australia (a gift Japan in for 1981) showed they were infectious for Herpes B virus. Herpes B is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can be transmitted from animal hosts to humans. Herpes B virus infection is relative innocuous in macaques but can cause meningitis and encephalitis in humans. At that time there was no recorded Australian case of Herpes B infection, but there was a suggestion that Herpes B has potential to become a global epidemic.