Exposure to Macaque Monkey Bite.
BACKGROUND
The herpes B virus is a zoonotic agent that is endemic among macaque monkeys only, but can cause fatal encephalomyelitis in humans.


METHODS
A 26-year-old female presented to a U.S. emergency department after being bitten by a wild macaque monkey. The emergency medicine team administered rabies immunoglobulin and rabies vaccine. The team also prescribed acyclovir for prophylactic coverage against herpes B, a deadly zoonotic agent that is endemic among macaque monkeys. A discussion of background, exposure, transmission, symptoms, treatment for herpes B, including latest data available, literature, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines are included. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Zoonotic exposures can cause infectious diseases, which are unfamiliar and deadly. The emergency physician's knowledge of the association between the deadly herpes B infection and wild macaque monkey may expedite treatment and be instrumental in patient morbidity and survival.
Emergency Trauma Department, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey.
William F
WF
Johnston
Emergency Trauma Department, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey.
Jesson
J
Yeh
Emergency Trauma Department, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey.
Richard
R
Nierenberg
Department of Pharmacy, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, New Jersey; Pharmacy Practice and Administration, The Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey.
Gabrielle
G
Procopio
D000212:Acyclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006568:Herpesvirus 1, Cercopithecine; D006801:Humans; D008251:Macaca; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011818:Rabies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011819:Rabies Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011819:Rabies Vaccines; D000212:Acyclovir
Macaca; animal bites; antiviral; encephalomyelitis; herpes B; infectious disease; macaque; monkey; zoonotic disease