While causing minimal disease in its macaque hosts, B virus can cause severe illness often leading to death when it infects other mammals including humans. There have only been approximately 30 documented cases of human infection with B virus however this disease has stimulated scientific research and policy making efforts out of proportion to its zoonotic prevalence.
Macaque species are a favorite animal model widely used in laboratory studies.
With a number of recent human infections and deaths associated with B virus there has been a great effort to characterize this disease and reduce the risk to humans with occupational exposure to macaque monkeys. This web page contains information on Herpesviruses in general and background on both human and non-human primate infection with B virus. For further information on safety policies to limit occupational exposure to B virus visit this page published by the CDC or try this Haz-Map site. The herpes family consists of large enveloped viruses carrying the genetic information to code for over 100 proteins. Most herpesviruses have co-evolved with their hosts and most vertebrates remain infected with one or more herpesviruses throughout their lives.