title: Hendra virus: an emerging paramyxovirus in Australia.
abstract: Hendra virus, first identified in 1994 in Queensland, is an emerging zoonotic pathogen gaining importance in Australia because a growing number of infections are reported in horses and people. The virus, a member of the family Paramyxoviridae (genus Henipavirus), is transmitted to horses by pteropid bats (fruit bats or flying foxes), with human infection a result of direct contact with infected horses. Case-fatality rate is high in both horses and people, and so far, more than 60 horses and four people have died from Hendra virus infection in Australia. Human infection is characterised by an acute encephalitic syndrome or relapsing encephalitis, for which no effective treatment is currently available. Recent identification of Hendra virus infection in a domestic animal outside the laboratory setting, and the large range of pteropid bats in Australia, underpins the potential of this virus to cause greater morbidity and mortality in both rural and urban populations and its importance to both veterinary and human health. Attempts at treatment with ribavirin and chloroquine have been unsuccessful. Education, hygiene, and infection control measures have hitherto been the mainstay of prevention, while access to monoclonal antibody treatment and development of an animal vaccine offer further opportunities for disease prevention and control.
authors.affiliation: Emerging Viruses and Inflammation Research Group, Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia. s.mahalingam@griffith.edu.au
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahalingam
authors.forename: Lara J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Herrero
authors.forename: E Geoffrey
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Playford
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Spann
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Herring
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rolph
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.forename: Bradley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McCall
authors.forename: Hume
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Field
authors.forename: Lin-Fa
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002685:Chiroptera; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D045404:Hendra Virus; D045464:Henipavirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans