The Centre for Health Protection said a 37-year-old man tested positive on Wednesday for a rare case of the herpes simiae virus, also known as B virus.

The centre said initial investigations showed the man was wounded by wild monkeys, which are natural carriers of the virus, and he was 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 said 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 this type of 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.

Meanwhile, an infectious disease expert said there had been fewer than 100 reported human cases.

Dr Wilson Lam said most of the human infections occurred either because of scratches or fight injuries from contact with monkeys.

He said there could be serious consequences if the wounds were left untreated.

“The first symptoms are usually redness, swelling and also pain upon the injury sites. And then, after a few days, there could be more symptoms happening along the limb… And after a few weeks if the virus can gain entry to the nervous system, including the brain and also the spinal cord, there could be more serious symptoms, for example vomiting, headache or even symptoms of meningitis or infection of the brain," he told RTHK.

“If untreated, the mortality rate would be up to around 80 percent.”

Lam urged people not to feed wild animals and to avoid close contact with monkeys.

He added that if one has been injured, they should clean the wound as soon as possible with antiseptic and rinse it with clean water, and seek medical attention.
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Last updated: 2024-04-04 HKT 15:58