Hendra virus has been detected in flying foxes in Adelaide for the first time. The virus was found in a tissue sample taken from flying foxes that died during extreme temperatures earlier this month, January 2013.
Flying foxes - Source of Hendra virus
While Hendra virus can be transmitted to horses, some simple precautions can be taken by horse owners to minimize the risk.
© 2012 by Justin Welbergen
About 100 of the animals were found dead in the North Adelaide parklands, with heat stress the likely cause. South Australia's (SA) chief veterinary officer Rob Rahaley said people should be alert but not alarmed by the discovery. He said while the virus could be transmitted to horses some simple precautions could be taken by horse owners to minimize the risk.
"While this is the fist time Hendra virus has been found in bats in SA, it was expected, as our flying fox population most likely originated from Victoria and New South Wales, where evidence of Hendra virus infection in flying foxes was demonstrated some time ago," Dr Rahaley said.
It has always been assumed local flying foxes would have a similar status to animals in those states. However we believe local factors such as vegetation and climate mean the risk to South Australian horses is much lower than it is in Queensland and northern NSW."
Dr Rahaley said, "The Hendra virus had never been detected in a horse in SA, Victoria or southern NSW. But the discovery serves as a reminder to all South Australian horse owners to take steps to minimise the potential for contact between flying foxes and horses.
"Owners should prevent their horses being near fruiting and flowering trees that flying foxes may frequent and cover feed bins and troughs. Hendra virus is also a rare but serious and sometimes fatal disease in people. But all known cases have been acquired from contact with infected horses and there have been no reports of people being infected directly from flying foxes."
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