Latest news with #HendraVirus
ABC News
08-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Australian scientists closer to Hendra virus vaccine thanks to an alpaca named Pedro
An unlikely hero has emerged in the fight against an "absolutely terrifying" virus which last week killed a horse in Queensland, the first fatal Hendra case in three years. 7.30's Tom Hartley reports.
ABC News
08-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Australia scientists closer to Hendra virus vaccine thanks to nanobodies from Chilean alpaca names Pedro
An unlikely hero has emerged in the fight against the "absolutely terrifying" Hendra virus, which has again reared its head in Southeast Queensland, killing a horse for the first time in three years. Hendra — named after the Brisbane suburb that saw its first outbreak in 1994 — is highly lethal to horses and humans. The hero, 12,000 kilometres away, is Pedro, an eight-year-old Chilean alpaca living in South America. "His story is quite unique," said Dr Ariel Isaacs, an infectious diseases virologist at the University of Queensland, who used the alpaca in his latest Hendra research breakthrough. "Pedro was gifted by a travelling Tibetan Buddhist master to the Universidad Austral de Chile when he came to visit their facility a few years ago," he said. Dr Isaacs' and Pedro's worlds collided as a matter of scientific serendipity. The researcher first collaborated with the Chilean university during the pandemic, while working on a therapy for COVID-19. "Nanobodies are very specialised antibodies that can neutralise some viruses with very high potency," Dr Isaacs said. Camelids, including alpacas and llamas, are some of the only species worldwide that have nanobodies. "If you introduce a part of the virus into an alpaca, it will produce an immune response — and then it well develop nanobodies against that target. And the Chileans had isolated a nanobody that worked against COVID," he said. The outcome exceeded expectations. "We were optimistic that this would work but it was even better than we can have predicted," Professor Daniel Watterson, Dr Isaacs' colleague at the University of Queensland, told 7.30. Professor Watterson oversees a team including Dr Isaacs which makes vaccines and therapies for emerging deadly viruses with pandemic potential. Professor Watterson said that once Pedro started making nanobodies "we isolated a particular one that had a really high affinity and ability to protect against the virus in-vitro". "Then we're able to test that in animal models and prove that protects against infection." Dr Isaacs described it as a "eureka moment", and the Chilean collaborators named the nanobody 'DS90', with the finer details published in the revered Nature Structural and Molecular Biology journal. Dr Isaacs said with it, they now have the foundation to produce a powerful therapy. "What we want to do is turn it into a therapeutic treatment that we could eventually give to a human who might be infected by these viruses," he said. "And so I'm optimistic and I'm hopeful that funding comes through and we're able to take this into the clinic. "That would be really amazing for me as an individual, and amazing for the community, and for the lab and our collaborators, and for anybody who's affected by these diseases." The University of Queenland's infectious disease experts are concerned the Henipaviruses will mutate and spillover. "Nipah virus, for example, is something that is now emerging across Asia, India and Bangladesh in particular," Professor Watterson told 7.30. There have been cases of possible human-to-human transmissions and "that's where you're seeing potential for really explosive outbreaks", he warned. There have been 68 Hendra outbreaks resulting in 110 horse deaths since its discovery in 1994, including one in Southeast Queensland last week — the case of a horse that wasn't vaccinated. The virus is carried by flying foxes and shed in their excrement, and commonly contracted by horses in contaminated pastures, feed or water. "It is currently estimated that 70 to 80 per cent of bats are seropositive for Hendra virus, and that means that sometime in their lifetime they've carried the virus," Dr Isaacs told 7.30. "That's the point of concern for us, because it means that it's still circulating within bat populations, and then that means it can still transmit to horses and the horses can transmit to people — and that can cause severe disease. Dr Peter Reid was the first veterinarian to treat horses carrying Hendra, before anyone knew what it was, back in September 1994. He described it as an "absolutely catastrophic, horrifying experience". "It's always traumatic coming out and doing an interview again," Dr Reid told 7.30. "But I can understand the interest, and if it has the benefit of reminding people how horrendous it was and the ways to stop it happening, that's what I'm all for." Dr Reid had been called to Williams Avenue in Hendra to attend Victory Lodge, the Brisbane stables of his client and friend, racehorse trainer Vic Rail. Several of Mr Rail's horses had fallen ill and they couldn't figure out why. "There were a lot of sick horses and a lot of dying horses I had to put out of their misery by injecting them, and some of them I couldn't inject because they were thrashing around so badly," Dr Reid recalled. "In the space of 36 hours, I think there were nine horses that died or I had to put down ... it was just catastrophic because I didn't know what was killing them. "Hendra virus attacks all organs in the body and particularly has focus on the lungs and the brain — so the horses are actually dying because they can't breathe because their lungs are filling up full of fluid. "We thought it could have been a poison or a toxin — certainly there's been no virus that had ever been known to medical or veterinary science that could do this." While detectives, health authorities, and scientists scrambled to figure out what had caused the animals' deaths, Mr Rail himself was struck down, showing symptoms similar to the horses. He's one of four people to have died from the disease since it was discovered — the human mortality rate stands at almost 60 per cent. "We know the best way to prevent people being infected to stop the transmission from fruit bats and horses to people, and that is by vaccinating the horses. "It's safe and effective, it breaks the cycle of transmission. "Don't think that it can't happen to you, because it can." Watch 7.30, Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on ABC iview and ABC TV Do you know more about this story? Get in touch with 7.30 here.
The Australian
08-07-2025
- Health
- The Australian
Hendra virus: Racing Queensland warning over July 2025 case
Racing Queensland has reiterated the importance of vaccination for thoroughbred horses following the first case of the deadly Hendra virus in southeast Queensland in three years. A horse in southeast Queensland has died after testing positive to the virus, Biosecurity Queensland officials confirmed on Sunday. Queensland Health is working to manage the health of people who came into contact with the horse given the virus can spread to humans and be fatal. In this new case, the horse was not vaccinated against Hendra virus. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Racing Queensland recommends vaccination and disseminates information to its industry participants on prevention and appropriate management of any ill horses,' an RQ spokesman said. 'RQ understands the horse involved in this instance is not a racehorse.' There is no human vaccine for Hendra virus, although it is rare for humans to contract the deadly disease. 'While the virus can spread from horses to people, it is rare,' Queensland chief health officer Dr Heidi Carroll said. 'People assessed as having a high level of exposure to the infected horse will undergo prioritised testing.' The last time Henry virus was discovered in Queensland was in Mackay in 2022. Flying foxes can transmit Hendra virus to horses. Picture: Craig Wahurst Biosecurity Queensland said an unvaccinated horse tested positive for the virus last Friday and its 'condition rapidly deteriorated'. Hendra virus can be transmitted from flying fox to horse, and from horse to human. It was first discovered in 1994 when it swept through racing stables in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra, killing a trainer and 13 horses. Since then there have been 66 known outbreaks across Australia, with four people and 90 horses dying from the deadly virus. RQ has advised anyone concerned about possible infection to immediately contact their veterinarian and avoid contact with the horse until Hendra virus results are obtained. The risk of infection from Hendra virus may be minimised by: • Vaccinating horses – the highly-protective vaccine available for horses is the most effective way to manage Hendra virus disease risk; • Paddock management – remove feed and water from underneath trees frequented by flying foxes and move horses out of paddocks when trees attractive to flying foxes are flowering or fruiting; and • Practicing good hygiene when interacting with horses, including: Regularly washing hands with soap and water after touching horses, particularly before eating, smoking or touching your eyes, nose or mouth; covering wounds with a waterproof dressing; wearing personal protective equipment if contact with body fluids from a horse is likely; and washing unprotected skin with soap and water if it comes into contact with a horse's body fluids or manure. Read related topics: Vaccinations
ABC News
08-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Queensland racing, campdrafting events to continue after Hendra detection
Queensland's first case of the deadly Hendra virus in three years has reignited calls to lift vaccination rates as the state moves into its peak horse sport season. An unvaccinated horse in the state's south-east died last week after contracting the virus, which is spread from flying foxes to horses and can then pass to humans and dogs. It comes as the two biggest equestrian sports — racing and campdrafting — enter their peak seasons, with many flagship events during winter. Equine vets are urging horse owners to vaccinate their animals. Hendra virus has a high mortality rate. Health authorities estimate 80 per cent of horses and 70 per cent of people with Hendra virus die. But while deadly, it is does not spread quickly. It can only be caught through direct close contact and is easily killed by soap or detergent. In 2012, a vaccine for horses was released, but some horse owners reported negative side effects, culminating in a class action lawsuit against manufacturer Zoetis that ultimately failed. "It is a rare disease, but the consequences are very high," Equine Veterinarians Australia president Laura Hardefeldt said. "We strongly encourage horse owners to speak with their veterinarians about the risks of Hendra and the benefits of vaccination." The case confirmed by Biosecurity Queensland on July 4 is the first in the state since 2022 and only the second in almost a decade. But it comes at a peak time for the equine community as country shows, races and campdrafts attract horses from all over the country. The Australian Bushmen's Campdraft and Rodeo Association (ABCRA) has 7,000 members, making it the largest non-profit equine sporting organisation. Executive officer Craig Young said the latest case was unlikely to disrupt events. Horse owners have a legal obligation to report suspected cases to their veterinarian immediately, to isolate any sick horses and to avoid close contact while awaiting test results. Symptoms in horses typically include: Symptoms in humans include: If a horse tests positive, animals from that property and neighbouring properties may be quarantined, but there are no movement restrictions for the general horse population. Horse events are not required to mandate vaccination but must adhere to biosecurity regulations and have a plan to mitigate the risk. "The ABCRA has never mandated vaccination for Hendra," Mr Young said. "The lack of Hendra outbreaks is probably the reason behind that. Vaccination is not compulsory and event requirements vary across the equestrian industry. Brisbane's Ekka requires all horses entering the showgrounds be vaccinated against Hendra, but many other competitions leave the decision to owners. A spokesperson from Biosecurity Queensland said it would not release the specific location of the latest detection for safety and privacy reasons. In a statement, Racing Queensland said it joined Biosecurity Queensland in encouraging owners to vaccinate their horses. In north-west Queensland more than 1,500km away from the detection, one of the circuit's major events, the Cloncurry Stockman's Challenge, is going ahead as planned. President Vince Wall said organisers were confident of their disease prevention protocols. "We have a traceability system in place for the movement of livestock, so we feel pretty confident that we'll be right," he said. "It's a pretty long bow to draw. Mr Wall said animal welfare remained a priority. "These horses are worth a lot of money, and they are their [owners'] mates," he said. "They're part of their family, so they like to look after them and ensure that everything is going to be right." Veterinarians like Dr Hardefeldt urged horse owners to be proactive. She said while vaccine uptake is highest in Queensland and New South Wales vaccination rates were inconsistent across the country. "The anti-vax sentiment is a problem," she said. Since it was first identified in 1994, Hendra virus has killed four people and more than 90 horses.
Daily Telegraph
07-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Telegraph
Hendra virus: Racing Queensland warning over July 2025 case
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Racing Queensland has reiterated the importance of vaccination for thoroughbred horses following the first case of the deadly Hendra virus in southeast Queensland in three years. A horse in southeast Queensland has died after testing positive to the virus, Biosecurity Queensland officials confirmed on Sunday. Queensland Health is working to manage the health of people who came into contact with the horse given the virus can spread to humans and be fatal. In this new case, the horse was not vaccinated against Hendra virus. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Racing Queensland recommends vaccination and disseminates information to its industry participants on prevention and appropriate management of any ill horses,' an RQ spokesman said. 'RQ understands the horse involved in this instance is not a racehorse.' There is no human vaccine for Hendra virus, although it is rare for humans to contract the deadly disease. 'While the virus can spread from horses to people, it is rare,' Queensland chief health officer Dr Heidi Carroll said. 'People assessed as having a high level of exposure to the infected horse will undergo prioritised testing.' The last time Henry virus was discovered in Queensland was in Mackay in 2022. Flying foxes can transmit Hendra virus to horses. Picture: Craig Wahurst Biosecurity Queensland said an unvaccinated horse tested positive for the virus last Friday and its 'condition rapidly deteriorated'. Hendra virus can be transmitted from flying fox to horse, and from horse to human. It was first discovered in 1994 when it swept through racing stables in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra, killing a trainer and 13 horses. Since then there have been 66 known outbreaks across Australia, with four people and 90 horses dying from the deadly virus. RQ has advised anyone concerned about possible infection to immediately contact their veterinarian and avoid contact with the horse until Hendra virus results are obtained. The risk of infection from Hendra virus may be minimised by: • Vaccinating horses – the highly-protective vaccine available for horses is the most effective way to manage Hendra virus disease risk; • Paddock management – remove feed and water from underneath trees frequented by flying foxes and move horses out of paddocks when trees attractive to flying foxes are flowering or fruiting; and • Practicing good hygiene when interacting with horses, including: Regularly washing hands with soap and water after touching horses, particularly before eating, smoking or touching your eyes, nose or mouth; covering wounds with a waterproof dressing; wearing personal protective equipment if contact with body fluids from a horse is likely; and washing unprotected skin with soap and water if it comes into contact with a horse's body fluids or manure. Originally published as Racing Queensland puts thoroughbred industry on alert as new Hendra virus case confirmed
