"Rare Monkey Virus Hospitalizes Man in Hong Kong"
A 37-year-old man in Hong Kong is in critical condition after being infected with the rare herpesvirus simiae, or 'B virus', which is carried by macaques. The man sustained a wound from one of the animals while visiting a park in late February and later presented with fever and decreased consciousness. The virus, which shares similarities with herpes simplex viruses, can be fatal without treatment, causing inflammation in the central nervous system. While the virus struggles to jump between species, close contact between humans and macaques raises the risk of potentially deadly viruses emerging, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy distance from these animals.
