Wildlife agency in Florida says they want to remove free-roaming monkeys from the state in light of a new study published on Wednesday, which finds some of the animals are excreting a virus that can be dangerous to humans.
Scientists learning a rising inhabitants of rhesus macaques in Silver Springs State Park say that relatively than simply carrying herpes B, which is commonplace within the species, some of the monkeys have the virus in their saliva and different physically fluids, posing a possible risk of spreading the illness.
Human circumstances of the virus were uncommon, with about 50 documented worlwide, and there have been no recognized transmissions of it to folks from wild rhesus macaques in Florida or in other places. However, the researchers say the problem has no longer been totally studied.
The findings, published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, prompted the researchers from the universities of Florida and Washington to warn Florida’s wildlife agency that the infected monkeys should be considered a public health concern.
State flora and fauna officials say they’re taking the problem severely. “Without management action, the presence and continued expansion of non-native rhesus macaques in Florida can result in serious human health and safety risks including human injury and transmission of disease,” Thomas Eason, assistant govt director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, mentioned in a statement.
The herpes B virus has been deadly to 21 of the 50 humans recognized to have reduced in size it from macaque bites and scratches whilst running with the animals in laboratories, according to the CDC.
The researchers estimate that up to 30% of the ratings of Florida’s feral macaques could also be actively excreting the virus.
> Shiuly Akter
