Florida introduced rhesus macaques for tourism; now they carry a deadly virus
Wild rhesus macaques in Florida carry herpes B virus, posing a potential human health risk. A study found about a quarter of sampled macaques had been infected with the virus. Some animals actively shed the virus, especially during the breeding season. The circulating virus strains are genetically similar to dangerous laboratory versions. No human cases have been confirmed from these wild…
Florida introduced rhesus macaques to Silver Springs State Park in the 1930s to boost tourism, leading to an invasive population that now threatens native wildlife. These nonhuman primates can harbor zoonotic pathogens due to their close genetic relationship with humans. The rhesus macaque in particular is the most commonly used species in biomedical research. However, when the virus crosses into humans, it can cause severe illness or even fatal encephalitis in up to half of untreated cases.
Researchers at the University of Florida and the University of Washington investigated the Silver Springs macaque population to understand the risk posed by this potentially deadly virus in a wild, free-ranging setting. The team analyzed blood samples collected between 2000 and 2012 from 317 macaques, as well as saliva samples collected from two social groups and faecal samples from deceased macaques. They then compared positive samples to known laboratory strains of herpes B virus.
The results showed that roughly a quarter of the sampled macaques had been infected with herpes B at some point in their lives, with exposure sharply increasing with age. Of the few macaques that tested positive for active viral shedding, all were found during the fall breeding season. This indicates that the virus is primarily transmitted through direct physical contact, such as bites and scratches.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
