Re: Australia: 2011 Hendra virus cases in horses/exposure in people
Re: Australia: 2011 Hendra virus cases in horses/exposure in people
HENDRA VIRUS, EQUINE - AUSTRALIA (06): (QUEENSLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES) HUMAN
EXPOSURE
A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Mon 4 Jul 2011
Source: The Australian [edited]
<http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/fears-for-23-people-after-hendra-virus-goes-undetected-for-two-weeks/story-e6frg6nf-1226086708907>
Biosecurity authorities fear that the deadly Hendra virus may have
been spreading from a south east Queensland property for 2 weeks
before it was finally detected at the weekend [2-3 Jul 2011].
Biosecurity Queensland has quarantined the property at Mount Alford,
50 km [31 mi] south west of Brisbane, marking the 3rd confirmed
outbreak of the batborne disease in Queensland and northern NSW [New
South Wales] in less than a week. A total of 23 people will wait weeks
before knowing if they are infected with the virus, which has a 57 per
cent mortality rate among humans.
Among those most at risk is a veterinarian, who yesterday [3 Jul
2011] confirmed that he had initially misdiagnosed the disease when he
was called out to the property [at Mount Alford] to euthanize a horse
on 20 Jun 2011. It was not until he was called back to the property on
Friday [1 Jul 2011] that he suspected a Hendra outbreak, a reality
confirmed by government analysts that night. He was not wearing
protective equipment when handling the 1st horse.
"It was a shock to the system, because I could have taken a virus
that's got a very high death rate in humans," he said. "I could have
been exposed to the virus for 13 days now, which is smack bang in the
middle of the incubation period." [The veterinarian] a former
Queensland MP, yesterday [3 Jul 2011] received the results of a
preliminary blood test, which cleared him of Hendra, although he is
due for another test on 22 Jul 2011, which he said "is the one that
really matters".
The virus, which has been detected only 17 times since 1994, has
killed 4 of the 7 humans who have contracted it, half of whom were
vets. Over the weekend [2-3 Jul 2011], Biosecurity Queensland officers
began retracing the movements of all horses in and out of the Mount
Alford estate, fearing the deceased horses may have come into contact
with other horses at nearby properties.
A spokesman yesterday [3 Jul 2011] could not confirm whether that
process was complete. Authorities have locked down horses at 3 other
properties in Queensland and NSW, including at Kerry, 45 km [28 mi]
south of Brisbane, where a horse was euthanized and 8 people have been
tested for the virus. A further 20 horses have been tested at
Biddaddaba, where the Kerry horse was brought before it died. Another
horse was euthanized at Wollongbar, near Ballina, on the NSW north
coast, and 9 people there are being monitored for symptoms.
The virus, which is transmitted to horses by flying foxes, is known
to emerge only in autumn and winter in Queensland and northern NSW,
when the migrating creatures converge on flowering trees. The virus
can be transmitted from bats to horses and, in rare cases, from horses
to humans.
There is no evidence that it can be transferred between humans.
[The veterinarian] yesterday [3 Jul 2011] defended his decision not
to wear protective equipment when tending to the horses, describing it
as an inconvenience given outbreaks of Hendra remain relatively rare.
"It's like when you go and see your GP. You've got the flu, but he's
not going to greet you in all of his gear," he said.
Horse owners have been advised to keep their animals, feeding
troughs, and water containers away from fruit trees to minimise the
risk of flying fox bites.
The CSIRO'S [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research
Organisation] Australian Animal Health Laboratory is developing a
vaccine for the virus, but its developers are unsure whether or not it
will be available before the next Hendra season.
Last year [2010], an outbreak on the Sunshine Coast prompted health
authorities to administer an experimental antiserum to a 12 year old
and her mother. The pair survived.
[byline: Jared Owens]
--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Mount Alford and the other areas mentioned can be seen on the map
included in the article at the source URL above and via the
HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at
<http://healthmap.org/r/108A>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ
In summary, there are 3 separate Hendra virus events occurring now:
1. Kerry/Beaudesert, QLD (the horse was moved once sick). First
reported 29 Jun 2011. 1 horse dead, 9 people, and 20+ horses are being
monitored. The 1st reports indicated 8 people (including 1 vet) were
identified as being at risk. Now another person and an unspecified
number of horses have been added to that number. It is this incident
that the initial 8 people identified have had negative test results
returned and are scheduled for a 2nd test.
Government press releases relating to the Kerry/Beaudesert incident:
- "Positive Hendra virus case near Beaudesert"
<http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/30_20547.htm>
- "Hendra virus at Beaudesert: update"
<http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/30_20555.htm>
- "Hendra virus horse tests -- 1st round results negative"
<http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/30_20557.htm>; and
- news reports indicating the increase in people exposed
<http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/03/3259569.htm>
2. Wollongbar, NSW. First reported 1 Jul 2011. 1 horse dead, 9 people
(including 1 vet) and 1 horse being monitored. No test results for
people have been reported.
Government press release:
"Hendra virus the cause of horse death on NSW North Coast"
<http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/aboutus/news/recent-news/agriculture-news-releases/hendra-virus-the-cause-of-horse-death-on-nsw-north-coast>
3. Mount Alford, QLD. First reported on 2 Jul 2011. 1 horse dead and
approximately 6 people and 8 horses being monitored. The number of
people has been taken from a media report and is not contained in the
press release. No test results have been reported.
Government press release:
"Biosecurity Queensland confirms 2nd Hendra case in South East
Queensland" <http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/30_20560.htm>. This release
discusses both the event at Kerry/Beaudesert and the more recent event
at Mount Alford.
Further, research to date indicates that each flying fox will have a
different pattern of movement that is independent of any other animal.
In other words flying foxes do not move as a group. There is so much
we don't understand about the ecology of the 4, very different
Australian Mainland species.
All the animals that have been shedding virus could have been at
Bundall over the last fortnight -- or they could not have. There would
be at least 5-10 other flying fox camps within 100 km [62 mi] of
Bundall. According to other bat rehabbers on the Border there are
really good food resources up there and "lots of animals". This may
mean a minimum of 20 000 _Pteropus alecto_ and _Pteropus
poliocephalus_ within, say a 120 km [75 mi] circle. Last weekend (2-3
Jul 2011) ecologist supervising the Bundall camp destruction indicated
at the time of destruction there were less than 1000 animals there.
The lack of monitoring at this camp site destruction is really
letting us down right now. So much could have been learned.
Biosecurity Queensland have confirmed there is no link in respect of
people or horses between any of the 3 events
(<http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/30_20560.htm>).
This moderator wishes to express a public thanks to Storm Stanford
for his insights into this situation as well as his diligence in
helping us track this situation. - Mod.TG]
[see also:
Hendra virus, equine - Australia (05): (NSW) human exposure
20110702.2012
Hendra virus, equine - Australia (04): (QL) 20110701.1997
Hendra virus, equine - Australia (03): (QL) human exposure
20110630.1989
Hendra virus, equine - Australia (02): (QL) 20110629.1984
Hendra virus, equine - Australia: vaccine 20110525.1589]
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