Four privately owned lemurs die after contracting human herpesvirus through close contact
A new study confirms that four privately owned lemurs died from herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) after close contact with humans. The cases, which included ring-tailed and ruffed lemurs, resulted in fatal encephalitis. This is the first molecular confirmation of HSV-1 in lemurs, highlighting the severe risks of human-to-wildlife transmission, particularly in informal settings like 'lemur yoga' classes.