4 Lemurs Died From Human Herpes After a Bizarre Yoga Class Exposure
Incident Date:
08/09/2026
Location:
Gainesville, FL - USA
Facility Name:
Facility Type:
Exotic Pet (E)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Primates
Animal:
Lemurs
Animal disposition:
Dead
Summary:
GAINESVILLE, FL – According to a new study in the Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, researchers at the University of Florida confirmed the first molecularly verified cases of human herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infecting lemurs, and despite every infected animal receiving treatment, they all died.
The study took a look at four privately owned lemurs that developed seizures, brain inflammation, and other neurological symptoms before passing away. One of them had been used in a public “lemur yoga” session, where people came in close contact with the primates, one of whom likely passed on the virus.
Action take by Born Free USA:
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