A seroprevalence study of primate workers for asymptomatic rhesus cytomegalovirus infection.

BACKGROUND

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised persons, and infectious mononucleosis in healthy adults. While, rhesus CMV (RhCMV) infects human cells in culture, it is unknown whether the virus can infect humans.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to determine whether primate workers, including those with injuries from animals, might be infected asymptomatically with RhCMV.

STUDY DESIGN

We developed serologic assays that distinguish RhCMV from HCMV antibodies. We tested two groups of primate workers: those with documented injuries or mucosal splashes associated with rhesus macaques, and those with no documented exposure who worked with these animals.

RESULTS

None of over 200 primate workers, including 119 with injuries or mucosal splashes associated with exposures to macaques, were seropositive for RhCMV.

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of asymptomatic RhCMV infection in persons who work with rhesus macaques was <0.5% (<1/200 primate workers).