title: A seroprevalence study of primate workers for asymptomatic rhesus cytomegalovirus infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised persons, and infectious mononucleosis in healthy adults. While, rhesus CMV (RhCMV) infects human cells in culture, it is unknown whether the virus can infect humans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine whether primate workers, including those with injuries from animals, might be infected asymptomatically with RhCMV.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed serologic assays that distinguish RhCMV from HCMV antibodies. We tested two groups of primate workers: those with documented injuries or mucosal splashes associated with rhesus macaques, and those with no documented exposure who worked with these animals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of over 200 primate workers, including 119 with injuries or mucosal splashes associated with exposures to macaques, were seropositive for RhCMV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of asymptomatic RhCMV infection in persons who work with rhesus macaques was <0.5% (<1/200 primate workers).
authors.affiliation: Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
authors.forename: J Jason
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bowman
authors.affiliation: Neurobiology and Pain Therapeutics Section, Laboratory of Sensory Biology, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Burbelo
authors.affiliation: Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
authors.forename: Rachel B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: Occupational Health Consultants, Rockville, MD, United States.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sauri
authors.affiliation: Occupational Medical Service, Division of Occupational Safety and Health, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.affiliation: Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States. Electronic address: jcohen@niaid.nih.gov.
authors.forename: Jeffrey I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
keywords: Cytomegalovirus; Primate workers; Rhesus cytomegalovirus; Zoonosis