Man critical in rare human case of Herpes B virus

The Centre for Health Protection says a 37-year-old man tested positive on Wednesday for a rare case of the Herpes B virus in humans. The centre says initial investigations show the man was wounded by wild monkeys, who are natural carriers of the virus, and he is now in a critical condition in intensive care. But it said the virus very rarely spreads from one person to another, although people should refrain from touching or feeding wild monkeys. The man, who was in previous good health, was admitted to Yan Chai Hospital on March 21 with a fever and decreased consciousness. His family members say he had contact with wild monkeys and was wounded by them during a visit to Kam Shan Country Park in late February. A Centre for Health Protection spokesman said this was the first recorded human case of B virus at the centre, although there had been cases in the US, Canada, the mainland, and Japan, which had mainly been caused by scratches or bites from monkeys. He said the virus is carried naturally in the saliva, urine and stools of macaques, which are common in Hong Kong. He said an infected person may initially get flu-like symptoms, which could progress to infection of the central nervous system.