When humans are zoonotically infected with B virus, they can present with a severe encephalitis, resulting in permanent neurological dysfunction or death.

Bites, scratches, and exposures to mucous membranes, including the eye, have led to infection when not cleaned immediately.

B virus was first identified in 1932 following the death of William Brebner, a young physician who was bitten by a rhesus monkey while doing research on polio.

[5] He had healed from the bite but later developed a febrile illness,[6] resulting in localized erythema, lymphangitis, lymphadenitis and, ultimately, transverse myelitis.

Neurologic tissues obtained during autopsy revealed the presence of an ultrafilterable agent that appeared similar to HSV-1.

Two unique regions (UL and US) are flanked by a pair of inverted repeats, two of which are found at the termini, with the other two internally located.

Sequence analyses suggest that B virus and HSV types 1 and 2 most likely diverged from a common ancestor during the evolution of these pathogens.

Each gene-encoded glycoprotein, including gB, gC, gD, gE and gG, has approximately 50% homology with HSV, with a slightly higher predilection towards HSV-2 over HSV-1.

[19] When humans are zoonotically infected with B virus, they can develop encephalitis, resulting in permanent neurological dysfunction or death.

[citation needed] Personal protective equipment is necessary when working with macaques, especially with animals that have tested positive for the virus.

Bites, scratches, and exposures to mucous membranes, including the eye, have led to infection when not cleaned immediately.