Archive for December 21st, 2006
Cercopithecine herpesvirus 1 (B virus) found in six monkeys of the Shirakami Mountains
Six out of 21 monkeys in the Shirakami Mountains tested positive for B virus according to the Daily Yomiuri. In a statement issued by Kazutaka Osawa of Nagasaki University, the infected monkeys (between 3 and 13 years old) were captured near residential areas between July and November. The transfer of the disease to humans usually occurs through bites and scratches by monkeys.
Bad news for humans as 80% of those who have contracted the B virus and go untreated die from complications. Since 1932, approximately 40 human deaths have been reported in relation to monkey bites.
