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What Are The Diseases Humans Can Get From Monkeys?

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Posted on Mon, 4 Nov 2013
Question: Hi,
seems lik a monkey entered our home while we were away. only kitchen was a mess. It had torn few packets of pulses,a packet of beetle nut,our garbage was spilled over kitchen n we found a half eaten XXXXXXX many ppl in our apartment had seen this monkey roamin around within our apartment.
My question is are we safe?!?! will any diseases spread from a monkey. am afraid what if this is not the first time the monkey had visited our house? what check can we do to find we are not affectedby any infections? my husband has been sneezing for past 2 days, even that makes me panic now. may be am just too afraid. please advice on next steps towards safety.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anjana Rao Kavoor (4 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Please find detailed answer below.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in to us.

Diseases of animals that also infect humans are called zoonoses. Most of these diseases are spread through a bite or exposure to the saliva of monkeys or their nasal secretions. The rest are spread through exposure to monkey feces. Please find a list of monkey transmitted infections:

Amoebiasis

Monkeys are known to carry Entamoeba histolytica , the cause of amoebic dysentery in humans. However, there are other amoeba in monkeys that may not be XXXXXXX to humans. The fact that a pet monkey is domestically bred is no guarantee it is free of amoeba. It is generally spread through direct fecal contamination and sewage. People working with carrier monkeys are at risk of contracting amoeba.

Campylobacter

Campylobacter are bacteria capable of causing severe diarrhea, fever, cramps and pain in people that usually lasts no more than a week . However, it occasionally becomes chronic and debilitating.

Hepatitis A and B

Hepatitis A is a disease that can go either way - from monkey to man or from man to monkey. Herpes B virus usually transfers to humans through a bite or scratch or contamination with monkey saliva.

Salmonella

Salmonella are bacteria that cause diarrhea in humans. Many kinds pets can infect humans with salmonella – including monkeys. Monkey stool specimens need to be screened for this bacteria. It is most XXXXXXX to the very old, the very young and people in poor general health.

There are other diseases transmitted from monkeys to humans like Tuberculosis and Stongyloides (parasite in intestine).




I do not think your husband has been infected by any disease if you were not at home during monkey attack and if he has not come in contact with any item which was handles by the monkey.

Please dispose off all the food items suspected to be handled by the monkey. You may create barriers (grills, fencing, locked doors and windows) so that the monkey does not enter your house.

I hope this helps.
Do write back in case of doubts.

Dr.A.Rao Kavoor
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Anjana Rao Kavoor (3 hours later)
Many thanks for your detailed response. one last question what if we had taken the food or used the crockery that monkey had touched? will diseases lik rabies spread from a monkey? is there any symptom we should be careful about?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anjana Rao Kavoor (50 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Please find detailed answer below

Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for writing in with an update.

It is best to discard all food suspected to have been touched by the monkey. This is not because of rabies but any of the above diseases might get transmitted.

It is unlikely that you and your family will get rabies by touching crockery. The length of time that rabies remains alive depends primarily on the outside temperature. The virus could die within a few hours in warm weather and could stay alive for months in freezing temperatures.

Since we are not sure if the monkey is infected by any particular disease, please contact your doctor and take treatment for any symptom like fever, stomach upset, vomiting, headaches. It is unlikely that you will get any disease as there has not been any direct bite/ contact with the monkey.

I hope this helps.
Do write back in case of doubts.

Dr.A.Rao Kavoor
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Anjana Rao Kavoor (29 minutes later)
Thanks a heaps for your detailed reply. I feel a lot assured now.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Anjana Rao Kavoor (16 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Welcome

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX

You are most welcome and I am glad to have been able to answer your queries.

I would request you to please close this thread and post your feedback.

Thanks,
Dr.A.Rao Kavoor
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Anjana Rao Kavoor

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2008

Answered : 1197 Questions

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What Are The Diseases Humans Can Get From Monkeys?

Brief Answer:
Please find detailed answer below.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in to us.

Diseases of animals that also infect humans are called zoonoses. Most of these diseases are spread through a bite or exposure to the saliva of monkeys or their nasal secretions. The rest are spread through exposure to monkey feces. Please find a list of monkey transmitted infections:

Amoebiasis

Monkeys are known to carry Entamoeba histolytica , the cause of amoebic dysentery in humans. However, there are other amoeba in monkeys that may not be XXXXXXX to humans. The fact that a pet monkey is domestically bred is no guarantee it is free of amoeba. It is generally spread through direct fecal contamination and sewage. People working with carrier monkeys are at risk of contracting amoeba.

Campylobacter

Campylobacter are bacteria capable of causing severe diarrhea, fever, cramps and pain in people that usually lasts no more than a week . However, it occasionally becomes chronic and debilitating.

Hepatitis A and B

Hepatitis A is a disease that can go either way - from monkey to man or from man to monkey. Herpes B virus usually transfers to humans through a bite or scratch or contamination with monkey saliva.

Salmonella

Salmonella are bacteria that cause diarrhea in humans. Many kinds pets can infect humans with salmonella – including monkeys. Monkey stool specimens need to be screened for this bacteria. It is most XXXXXXX to the very old, the very young and people in poor general health.

There are other diseases transmitted from monkeys to humans like Tuberculosis and Stongyloides (parasite in intestine).




I do not think your husband has been infected by any disease if you were not at home during monkey attack and if he has not come in contact with any item which was handles by the monkey.

Please dispose off all the food items suspected to be handled by the monkey. You may create barriers (grills, fencing, locked doors and windows) so that the monkey does not enter your house.

I hope this helps.
Do write back in case of doubts.

Dr.A.Rao Kavoor