A human may become infected following an exposure to monkeys infected with Herpes B virus (Cercopithecine Herpesvirus 1, CeHV-1). The number of people who actually develop an infection is low relative to the number of potential exposures.
The most common monkey involved is a macaque monkey but other species may be involved.
People at greatest risk of exposure include:
(1) those who work with or near nonhuman primates.
(2) travelers
Risk factors for exposure from a monkey include:
(1) monkey bite
(2) monkey scratch
(3) contamination of wound or skin break with monkey saliva
(4) mucosal splash with monkey fluid (oral, genital, ocular, blood)
Risk factors for exposure in the laboratory or animal care facility:
(1) tissue culture bottles (containing monkey-derived cells)
(2) cage scratch
(3) needlestick injury
(4) cleaned monkey skull
(5) aerosol
(6) exposure to monkey tissue, especially brain
Other:
(1) exposure to a human with Herpes B virus infection
