Macaques with mouth ulcers may indicate infection with which disease?

Macaques with mouth ulcers may indicate infection with which disease?

• A. Ectromelia virus
• B. B virus
• C. Rat bite fever
• D. Hepatitis B

Answer: (B)

Macaques with mouth ulcers point to an infection with simian B virus (Macacine herpesvirus 1). This herpesvirus naturally infects macaques and often causes oral lesions in them, making it the best match for macaque signs. The other diseases listed don’t fit macaques in this way: ectromelia virus affects mice (mousepox), rat bite fever comes from bacteria transmitted by rats, and hepatitis B is a liver virus in humans and primates that doesn’t classically present as mouth ulcers in macaques. In humans, exposure to B virus can be serious, so any contact or bite requires prompt medical evaluation and antiviral precautions.

Macaques with mouth ulcers point to an infection with simian B virus (Macacine herpesvirus 1). This herpesvirus naturally infects macaques and often causes oral lesions in them, making it the best match for macaque signs. The other diseases listed don’t fit macaques in this way: ectromelia virus affects mice (mousepox), rat bite fever comes from bacteria transmitted by rats, and hepatitis B is a liver virus in humans and primates that doesn’t classically present as mouth ulcers in macaques. In humans, exposure to B virus can be serious, so any contact or bite requires prompt medical evaluation and antiviral precautions.