Keeping Monkeys off our Backs

Many travelers are now visiting cities and jungles where they may see monkeys and apes. Travelers forget that these are still wild animals and these interactions may become closer than wished for and several diseases have been known to infect human visitors. Some ape bites are small and trivial except for the infectious risk they pose while others can severely tear tissues and require immediate treatment..

Some viruses have been well documented from primates to human.

Not all have been linked with specific disease though.

Rabies may be found in primates and all bites should have this considered. Rabies is rare in monkeys as they are usually too fast to get infected by dogs but it is more common in marmosets.

Cercopithecine herpes virus 1 (also called herpes b) is a virus common to macaques and possibly transmittable by bites and could lead to encephalitis with a fatality of 70%! Starting an antiviral medication is suggested in suspicious cases.

Simian Foamy Virus (SFV) is found in up to 2-4% of primates and is easily passed to human- an estimated 6 of 1000 visitors to monkey temples. No disease is associated with this infection but researchers are still concerned and watching this closely. Both Canada and Ireland have prohibited primate handlers from donating blood because of the possibilities of a disease state.

Other viruses ( simian retrovirus , and simian immunodeficiency virus ) cause diseases in primates but not humans; may be acquired but are of unknown importance.

Primates also carry human diseases such as hepatitis A and tuberculosis .

All monkey bites should be seen by a doctor as soon as possible to gauge the risk of herpes b or rabies. First aid treatment also involves washing wounds, tetanus and consideration for antibiotics.

Monkey bites are associated with: abrupt movements, staring, laughing, pulling food away from the animal or teasing it with food; and feeding the monkeys. Petting baby monkeys is particularly likely to cause severe bites.

Feeding the local temple monkeys actually increases the risk to monkey temple attendants being bitten by 8 times.

Researchers have observed that apes do bite and attack people for usually good reasons.

Some suggestions on how travelers can avoid primate bites:

Walk away from agitated apes.

Respect bared fangs as a sign of aggression

Open your palms to show you have no hidden food.

Stay nearer to monkey temple attendants provides some relative protection.

Respecting apes in captivity or in semi-captivity (such as "domesticated" staying close to tourists for food) as wild animals will help avoid confrontations.

Also avoid animals that have been antagonized by other tourists as locals as these fed monkeys are usually much more aggressive than ones not given frequent treats by tourists.

Conversely, many organizations are recommending for tourists who are sick not to go to close to endangered primates such as gorillas. A simple cold or flu could be devastating to such animals.

The website, http://www.teammonkey.net claims to have been Promoting Human/Primate Commensalisms since 1999." and is a source of further information on apes and people. It provides details how people can view and interact with primates safely for both sides.