This has been an unprecedented year for deadly cases caused by the hendra virus in New South Wales and Queensland. The latest hendra case was confirmed yesterday when a horse on a north Brisbane property was euthanized after testing positive for the virus.
During the height of this year's hendra epidemic, which has killed more than 21 horses, the New South Wales and Queensland governments established a cross-border hendra task force and committed $6 million to research programs on the deadly virus. Submissions are being sought for remaining funds.
Projects already in place include the following:
- Research into the effectiveness of the final formulation of the Hendra vaccine for horses
- Research into hendra virus infection and transmission, which continues the work of the Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases
- Research into hendra virus in dogs, given the recent case of a dog that tested positive to Hendra virus and was euthanized
- Research into dispersal of flying fox bat and Hendra virus risk
Proposals for new research projects under the available funding should address one of three following priorities:
- Prediction of high-risk periods for Hendra Virus transmission from flying foxes to horses.
- Strategies to prevent transmission of Hendra.
- Detection and response to incidents