Hendra virus north brisbane

In Hendra virus itself was isolated from two species of flying fox. Later work using experimentally infected flying foxes confirmed the absence of any clinical symptoms following infection with doses of virus that would be lethal for horses. Indeed some flying foxes shrugged off the infection without generating any detectable antibody. These data are consistent with flying foxes being the natural host or reservoir of Hendra virus.

First, the nucleic acid sequence of the Hendra virus genome is only distantly related to other paramyxoviruses, but the virus genes are organised in a manner that resembles the other viruses in this family. Second, Hendra virus causes the formation of unique giant cells in the lining of the blood vessels of infected animals. Third, unlike other paramyxoviruses, Hendra virus is able to infect a variety of other animal species.

In addition to horses, humans and bats: cats and guinea pigs are highly susceptible. Finally, the clinical symptoms observed in those infected at Hendra and Mackay reveal that the virus is able to cause both respiratory and encephalitic disease. In and an outbreak of respiratory disease spread among the pig population of Malaysia. Over one million pigs were destroyed to halt the epidemic and by mid , human cases of acute encephalitis were recorded including a cluster among abattoir workers in Singapore.

The tests developed for Hendra virus at AAHL were instrumental in the rapid identification of a previously unknown and closely related virus now called Nipah virus. The distinctive nature of Hendra and Nipah viruses led scientists at AAHL to create a new genus to accommodate classification of both viruses within the paramyxovirus family.

The name chosen for the genus was Henipavirus , a name now internationally accepted. The highly virulent nature of Hendra and Nipah viruses has lead to their classification as biohazard level 4 agents and as such they can only be worked on by scientists and veterinarians at AAHL wearing space suits that are individually supplied with air.

Flying foxes are distributed from Madagascar through the Indian subcontinent to south-eastern Asia and Australia and as far east as the Cook Islands. Serological studies now suggest that Henipaviruses will be detected wherever flying foxes are to be found. Their wide spread distribution and the continuing re-emergence of highly pathogenic Henipaviruses highlight the need not only for diagnostic procedures to rapidly detect the viruses and their variants, but also for therapeutic procedures for human application in outbreak areas.

We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. Another case of hendra virus has been detected in south-east Queensland. Another horse which died there a week ago is now suspected of having hendra. Fears Gold Coast hendra outbreak will spread. Hendra virus, named after the Brisbane suburb where it was first detected in , is spread by bats to horses, where it is devastating, with an 80 per cent mortality rate.

Professor Geoffrey Playford right with Dr Peter Reid centre and Professor Trent Munro left says the new human Hendra treatment has passed clinical trials with flying colours. It can also be contracted by humans, with seven known cases since , four of which proved to be fatal. The deaths, as well as a spike in the number of cases in , resulted in a fast-tracked trial of a preventative measure which could be used for humans who work with horses, in particular horse trainers and vets.

The trial was led by Geoffrey Playford, a disease expert and director of infection management services at Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital. Professor Playford said the trial, involving 40 human volunteers, was a great success, with no adverse reactions to the treatment in the test patients.

The natural reservoir for Hendra virus has since been identified as the flying fox bats of the genus Pteropus. Since and as of , Hendra virus infections in humans remain rare; only seven cases have been reported.

Hendra virus infection can be prevented by avoiding horses that are ill or may be infected with HeV Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.