What Are The Symptoms Of Monkey B Virus Infection?

Symptoms Of The Monkey B Virus: In early March, a 53-year-old veterinary surgeon in Beijing was the first person in China to be infected with Monkey B Virus (BV). The surgeon dissected two dead monkeys which led him to have symptoms like nausea and vomiting followed by neurological symptoms. The man eventually died on May 27 after visiting several hospitals for treatment.

He was exposed to Simian B Virus which is commonly known as Monkey B Virus while dissecting the monkeys, as the virus is prevalent among certain Asiatic Monkeys that belong to the "Macaca" genus. The disease is contracted mainly by people who work in laboratories and get exposed to monkeys or tissue cultures containing the virus.

When one is infected with the Simian B Virus, the brain and the membrane around it is invaded by the virus and when the virus spreads, the infection can even affect the spinal cord causing neurological damages.

The infection is very rare, however, if it is not treated properly, it can be fatal.

Symptoms of Monkey B Virus

The symptoms of the disease can be majorly noticed in three stages as the infection in the body increases, as per reports. The first symptoms of the Monkey B Virus infection can start within a month of being exposed to the virus but they can also appear as soon as three to seven days of the viral exposure. Initially, the symptoms of the infections are like typical flu, which include:

• Headache.
• Fatigue.
• Fever.
• Chills.
• Muscle Ache.

After the infection spreads, other symptoms can be seen on the infected person such as:

• Small blisters can develop in the wound area or the parts of the body that had contact with the monkey.
• Frequent hiccups may occur.
• The person infected may feel shortness of breath.
• Abdominal Pain.
• Regular Nausea and Vomiting.

In the later stages, the virus can also spread to the brain and spinal cord and result in:

• Inflammation (swelling and redness) in the brain and spinal cord.
• Neurological and inflammatory symptoms near the wound site, which may include pain, numbness, and itching.
• Difficulty in muscle coordination.
• Severe damage to the brain and nervous system.

If the infection is severe, it can even lead to death which can occur earliest between one day to three weeks after symptoms appear.