As many as 30 percent of feral rhesus macaque monkeys living in and exterior of Florida state Park are infect with a strain of herpes virus that ’s exceptionally dangerous to humans . Wildlife official are now calling for the total remotion of these barren - roaming scamp from the Sunshine State .
It may make out as a surprisal that Florida has wild monkeys , but it ’s true . The rhesus macaques , native to Asia , were introduced to the United States Department of State in the 1930s during the Tarzan cult as an effort to encourage tourism . Today , around 175 of these monkeys roam Silver Springs State Park , but they ’ve go around elsewhere , roaming as far as the Ocala , Sarasota , and Tallahassee regions .
Newresearchpublished in Emerging Infectious disease , a publication hunt by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , indicate an alarming identification number of these monkeys are excreting a soma of herpes , called herpes virus B computer virus ( or macacine herpesvirus 1 ( McHV-1 ) ) , which can be dangerous to humans — even fatal .
Researchers from the CDC , the University of Florida , and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission dissect macaque sampling ( feces and saliva ) collected by trapper from 2000 to 2012 in Silver Springs State park and along the Ocklawaha River in fundamental Florida . They also examine viral deoxyribonucleic acid pick out from barren - ramble monkeys in the park from 2015 to 2016 . Collectively , these sample suggested that as many as 30 percent of the animals quiz during this period of time were infect with the virus . The researchers say this represents a serious public health concern , and advocate that the monkey be removed from the state , though they do n’t explain how that should bump .
Herpes B computer virus is rare in human beings , and only 50 cases have ever been documented worldwide . In these cases , the virus was contracted by humans from macaque bites and prick while they were working with the animate being in laboratories . Of these 50 infections , 21 were fatal . The disease causes severe brain damage or death if the affected role is n’t treated instantly .
“ No human deaths have been reported from abridge McHV-1 from free - ranging macaque , suggest the risk for infection from these animals is scurvy , ” write the authors in the new study , “ However , immunologic surveillance , reporting , and symptomatic investigation in humans are lacking , ” adding that “ Human visitors to [ Silver Springs State park ] are most likely to be exposed through contact with spittle from macaque bites and scratching or from contact with computer virus cast through urine and feces . ”
Speaking to The Associated Press , Emory University biological science prof David Civitello , who was n’t involved in the newfangled bailiwick , said more body of work want to be doneto ascertain how prominent this virus is among Florida ’s monkeys , and how well it can be convey . “ It will be important to figure out whether underreporting , small quantity , or blue transmissibility would explicate why infections in tourists have not been cover , ” he told The Guardian .
We obviously demand to learn more , but this new subject area construct a couple of things fairly clear .
First , if you ’re in Florida and you run into a rhesus macaque , stay readable . secondly , discussions of off this invasive species are not outrageous ( though the chore may be exceptionally unmanageable give how widespread these monkeys now are ; universe control may be a more realistic goal than eradication ) . These monkeys have , in the words of the researchers , “ a high generative capacity , the ability to spread in geographical distribution , and the potency to threaten native fauna with extinction . ” merely put , they do n’t belong to in the Sunshine State .
[ CDC come out Infectious Diseases ]
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