A seven-year-old unvaccinated Clydesdale from the Newcastle area has been euthanased following confirmation of a variant Hendra virus strain, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) reports. The new variant (Hendra virus Genotype 2/HeV-g2) and most southern case of Hendra recorded was confirmed in early October by testing at the […]
Hendra horse euthanased in NSW
A positive Hendra virus case involving a four-year-old Arab cross has occurred near Tweed Heads, NSW. The case was confirmed by a veterinarian who was wearing protective equipment at the time. The horse was not vaccinated against Hendra and was later euthanased. AVA spokesperson Ben Poole said it was critical […]
Abstracts: Hendra virus and horse owners – risk perception and management
Hendra virus is a highly pathogenic novel paramyxovirus causing sporadic fatal infection in horses and humans in Australia. Species of fruit-bats (genus Pteropus), commonly known as flying-foxes, are the natural host of the virus. We undertook a survey of horse owners in the states of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia […]
Female recovers, but fatal white rhino disease remains a mystery
A female rhinoceros exhibiting symptoms of a condition which claimed the lives of four of her conspecifics appears to have overcome her illness, despite exhaustive testing failing to identify the aetiological agent. The mystery illness claimed the lives of four adult White Rhinoceros at Taronga Western Plains Zoo within a […]
Bligh says govt acted before Hendra report
The Queensland Government had made significant changes to the way it handled Hendra virus outbreaks well before the ombudsman released a critical report, Premier Anna Bligh said. Ombudsman Phil Clarke’s report highlighted inadequate communication between veterinarians and horse owners. Clarke said systemic failures had hampered the Labor government’s response to […]