More to worry about than just rabies from monkey bites

Monkey bites are surprisingly common among New Zealanders visiting Asia.  It is sensible to stay away from monkeys and certainly not to feed them. If bitten wash the injury for at least 15 minutes then see a doctor as you will need rabies vaccinations and maybe antibiotics and a tetanus booster. It is not well known that macaque monkeys may carry a virus similar to herpes called herpes B virus. The illness has only been seen in humans infected by macaques in captivity so it is not really known if wild ones transmit it or not. Treatment with antiviral tablets may be taken after a bite to lower the risk of this infection.