Hendra virus fears are growing after eleven people were exposed at two Queensland properties where two horses died during the past week. This exposure to the potentially fatal Hendra virus occurred in the first outbreaks of the "high-risk" period as scientists await approval for the "emergency use" of a new horse vaccine.
Flying foxes (bats) carriers of Hendra virus
Health assessments of 11 people were conducted after two horses died with Hendra virus disease.
© 2012 by Justin Wellbergen
On May 30, 2012, authorities conducted health assessments on the owners and treating veterinarians of the two horses that died after contracting the deadly flying fox-borne disease in separate cases more than 800km apart.
Hendra virus (formerly called equine morbillivirus) is a member of the family Paramyxoviridae. The virus was first isolated in 1994 from specimens obtained during an outbreak of respiratory and neurologic disease in horses and humans in Hendra, a suburb of Brisbane, Australia. The human infections were due to direct exposure to tissues and secretions from infected horses
Hendra virus was declared endemic across Queensland and NSW last year after the worst reported outbreak, in which 22 horses died and a dog was euthanized.
The source of Hendra virus is thought to be flying foxes (bats of the genus Pteropus) found in Australia. It is believed to be transmitted from asymptomatic bats to horses, and can then spread to humans in rare cases. Four of the seven confirmed human cases since 1994 have been fatal.
Small trials of a CSIRO-developed Hendra vaccine are under way. Australian Animal Health Laboratory veterinary pathologist Deborah Middleton said the agency was working with a commercial manufacturer in the hope of achieving a widespread release of the vaccine next year.