The First Human Infection Case of Macacine Alphaherpesvirus 1 Virus in China.

BACKGROUND

Macacine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BV) was first reported in the 1930s and only about 60 cases have been diagnosed since then.

METHODS

A 53-year-old male who worked as a veterinary surgeon, developed a fever with nausea and vomiting in April 2021 in Beijing, China. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and metagenomics Next Generation Sequencing (mNGS) were used for diagnosis.

RESULTS

BV DNA was confirmed by mNGS and PCR. The case died 51 days after onset, due to the damage to the brain and spinal cord caused by a viral infection and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The typical BV inclusion bodies in the brain were found for the first time.

CONCLUSIONS

Here we reported the first human infection case of BV in China. This fatal case highlights the potential threat of BV to occupational workers and the essential role of surveillance.