This virus can be found in the blood, tissues, and secretions of these monkeys and it doesn t have a very severe pathogenesis in its natural monkey host it usually causes a mild or inapparent disease such as conjunctivitis, gingivostomatitis, and genital ulcers. However, this virus can be potentially very dangerous if transmitted to a human because the pathogenesis in humans is much more severe.
Infection can occur in people who work with monkeys, either in zoos or labs.
The transmission event can be via a monkey bite, direct or indirect contact with saliva of an infected monkey. In some cases the virus might be aerosolized, and transmission has even been shown in cases of lab researchers working with monkey cell cultures. The clinical course of disease is severe in humans. An infected individual usually presents with localized redness, vesicles and may experience pain at the site of virus introduction. Clinical manifestations can be vesicles located on the mucous membranes, pneumonia, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pharyngitis, and lymphocytic pleocytosis.