VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

HERPES VIRUS AND POX VIRUS INFECTIONS

• Herpes virus infections are documented in non-human primates, elephant calves etc. In man, herpes B virus can be fatal, causing an acute ascending myelitis.
• Rhesus macaques and cyanomolgus are considered as the primary natural hosts.
• Lesions in non-human primates are mostly confined to the mucosa of buccal cavity.
• Ulcers or vesicles do occur around the lips and external nares and the most common site is the tongue. Monkey bites and laboratory accidents lead to the most human infections.
• Pox virus infections often are classified into four types in non-human primates, elephants etc. All these four diseases are infectious to man but it is to be remembered that the monkey pox is the most frequent one.
• Pox virus was documented in chimpanzee under captive condition reared at zoological garden.