Ebola-Reston Virus Infection Among Quarantined Nonhuman
Primates -- Texas, 1996
On March 30, 1996, a cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis)
imported from the Philippines and held in a private quarantine
facility in Texas died following a 3-day illness characterized by
anorexia and lethargy. On April 11, an Ebola infection was
confirmed in this animal based on antigen detection from a liver
specimen as required by CDC regulation (1,2).
On April 9, a second monkey that had been held in the same
room had onset of similar symptoms; this monkey was euthanized on
April 13 following confirmation of Ebola infection by electron
microscopy, antigen detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,
and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction tests of serum
and blood samples. Sequence analysis of the entire glycoprotein
gene of the Ebola virus from the first monkey indicated a 98.9%
nucleotide identity with the original 1989 Ebola-Reston virus.
The two monkeys were part of a shipment of 100 received by the
facility on March 21 and housed in two separate self-contained
rooms with a capacity of 50 animals each. On April 17, the other 48
monkeys housed in the same quarantine room as the two infected
animals were euthanized to minimize potential exposure of employees
and to prevent additional transmission within the room.
Surveillance has been enhanced for the remaining 50 monkeys and has
been initiated to monitor the eight facility employees who had had
contact with these monkeys. During the quarantine period, these
employees had worn protective clothing and followed strict contact
guidelines to minimize exposure to potential infectious agents.
Reported by: S Pearson, DVM, M Cottingham, DVM, G Pucak, DVM, HRP,
Inc; K Hendricks, MD, J Taylor, MPH, G Fearnyhough, DVM, L Vela,
MD, D Simpson, MD, State Epidemiologist, Texas Dept of Health. TW
Geisbert, MS, PB Jahrling, PhD, US Army Medical Research Institute
for Infectious Diseases, Ft. Detrick, Maryland. Div of Field
Epidemiology, Epidemiology Program Office; Div of Quarantine and
Special Pathogens Br, Div of Viral and Rickettsial Disease,
National Center for Infectious Diseases, CDC.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: Ebola virus is a member of a family of RNA viruses
known as filoviruses. Ebola virus was discovered in 1976; since its
discovery, four distinct subtypes have been identified: Zaire,
Sudan, Ivory Coast, and Reston (3). Ebola-Reston subtype was
discovered in the United States in 1989 in association with an
outbreak of viral hemorrhagic fever among monkeys imported from the
Philippines to Reston, Virginia (4). Although infection with this
virus can be fatal in monkeys, the only four infections confirmed
in humans were asymtomatic (5); in contrast, infection with
Ebola-Sudan or Ebola-Zaire subtypes often is fatal in humans. Four
additional episodes of Ebola-Reston infection among monkeys
imported from the Philippines have occurred in the United States
and Italy (6).
Following the earliest episodes, CDC updated and modified the
mandatory disease-control requirements and other procedures used in
the transportation and quarantine of nonhuman primates (1,2). The
current episode in Texas indicates the importance and effectiveness
of these regulations: both cases of infection were detected while
the monkeys were in quarantine, and the potential for transmission
to facility employees was minimal. This problem also underscores
the need for further characterization of the reservoir(s) for and
natural history of infection with this virus.
References
CDC. Update: Ebola-related filovirus infection in nonhuman
primates and interim guidelines for handling nonhuman primates
during transit and quarantine. MMWR 1990;39:22-4,29-30.
CDC. Requirement for a special permit to import cynomolgus,
African green, or Rhesus monkeys in to the United States: notice.
Federal Register 1990;55:15210-1.
Sanchez A, Trappier SG, Mahy BWJ, Peters CJ, Nichol ST. The
virion glycoproteins of Ebola virus are encoded in two reading
frames and are expressed through transcriptional editing. Proc Natl
Acad Sci U S A 1996;93:3602-7.
Jahrling PB, Geisbert TW, Dalgard DW, et al. Preliminary report:
isolation of Ebola virus from monkeys imported to USA. Lancet
1990;335:502-5.
CDC. Update: filovirus infection in animal handlers. MMWR
1990;39:221.
World Health Organization. Viral hemorrhagic fever in imported
monkeys. Wkly Epidemiol Rec 1992;67:142.
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