title: Hendra virus: what do we know?
abstract: Hendra virus infection is an emerging infectious disease that is not well understood. Most cases of Hendra virus infection have occurred in Queensland, with one case in a horse in NSW. Hendra virus infection has a high mortality rate in horses and humans and as cases could occur anywhere in Australia it is important to be ready for prompt action should an outbreak occur in NSW. This paper: reviews the current knowledge on Hendra virus infection including methods for preventing the disease; explains the animal health and human health response for an outbreak within NSW; and discusses possible future avenues for post-exposure prophylaxis and prevention by vaccination.
authors.affiliation: NSW Public Health Officer Training Program, NSW Department of Health.
authors.forename: Isabel M R
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Massey
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.forename: Therese M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D045404:Hendra Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D045464:Henipavirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000635:transmission