All articles tagged with #lemurs
Four privately owned lemurs contracted human herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) after close contact with people (including a lemur involved in a 'lemur yoga' session) and died from encephalitis; this study marks the first molecular confirmation of HSV-1 in lemurs and highlights the risks of close human–primate interaction in captive settings, urging stricter biosecurity.
UF veterinarians confirmed the first HSV-1 infections in lemurs, with four cases across ring-tailed, black-and-white ruffed, and a Varecia hybrid lemur. All suffered encephalitis and ulcers and died despite treatment. One case may have been linked to a public lemur yoga class, highlighting the risk of human-to-wildlife transmission and the need for stronger biosecurity and minimized direct contact when caring for lemurs. The findings were published in the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.