ID :
191810
Wed, 06/29/2011 - 14:20
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http://m.oananews.org//node/191810
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Eight being tested for Hendra virus in Qld
SYDNEY (AAP) - June 29 - Eight people are feared to have been exposed to the potentially deadly Hendra virus after an infected horse died in southeast Queensland.
A vet who was wearing only gloves, and no mask, when he treated the sick horse is among the people being tested.
They have a long and anxious wait, because Hendra can take up to three weeks to incubate.
The bat-borne virus can spread among horses, who can in turn infect humans who come into close contact with their respiratory secretions or blood.
Acting chief health officer Dr Aaron Groves said all involved were believed to have had a low to moderate level of exposure and were showing no active signs of the virus so far.
"The longest period of time (to incubate) is 21 days after exposure," Dr Groves told reporters on Wednesday.
"We are letting them know we'd like to do the second blood test within 21 days and another test after six weeks."
Two properties have been quarantined, after the horse fell ill while at an agistment property at Kerry, near Beaudesert, on Saturday.
The horse died the following day, about 30km south at Biddaddaba, after the female owner took it home.
No other horse on either property has yet contracted the virus.
Queensland's chief vet, Dr Rick Symons, said the vet who assessed the sick horse had shown great intuition to take a blood sample for a Hendra test.
He said it showed vets were more aware of the deadly disease following outbreaks over the past few years.
"We certainly encourage vets to test and we had well over a 100 meetings last year talking to them and asking them to take tests," Mr Symons told AAP.
"It's really good he took the test."
However, the vet wore only gloves when attending the horse. He should have worn a facial mask and full body clothing, for full protection from the virus.
Biosecurity Queensland is visiting both properties to determine the horse's movements and what other horses it had contact with.
Queensland Horse Council president Debbie Dekker said the Beaudesert area was a stronghold for all sectors of the horse industry.
But she expected the fallout from the latest outbreak to be limited to affected properties.
"It's a big horse area - there's stockhorse studs, arab studs, pony clubbers, equestrian people, trail riders and thoroughbred studs as well," she told AAP.
"But it's only horses on the affected properties that will be at risk, because Hendra is not very contagious and requires nose-to-nose contact.
"There'll be no cancellation of horse events in the district or anything like that."
Hendra has a high death rate in humans - four of the seven confirmed human cases recorded since Hendra surfaced in 1994 resulted in death.
While the exact route of infection is not known, it's thought horses may contract it by eating food contaminated by flying fox urine, saliva or birth fluids.
A vet who was wearing only gloves, and no mask, when he treated the sick horse is among the people being tested.
They have a long and anxious wait, because Hendra can take up to three weeks to incubate.
The bat-borne virus can spread among horses, who can in turn infect humans who come into close contact with their respiratory secretions or blood.
Acting chief health officer Dr Aaron Groves said all involved were believed to have had a low to moderate level of exposure and were showing no active signs of the virus so far.
"The longest period of time (to incubate) is 21 days after exposure," Dr Groves told reporters on Wednesday.
"We are letting them know we'd like to do the second blood test within 21 days and another test after six weeks."
Two properties have been quarantined, after the horse fell ill while at an agistment property at Kerry, near Beaudesert, on Saturday.
The horse died the following day, about 30km south at Biddaddaba, after the female owner took it home.
No other horse on either property has yet contracted the virus.
Queensland's chief vet, Dr Rick Symons, said the vet who assessed the sick horse had shown great intuition to take a blood sample for a Hendra test.
He said it showed vets were more aware of the deadly disease following outbreaks over the past few years.
"We certainly encourage vets to test and we had well over a 100 meetings last year talking to them and asking them to take tests," Mr Symons told AAP.
"It's really good he took the test."
However, the vet wore only gloves when attending the horse. He should have worn a facial mask and full body clothing, for full protection from the virus.
Biosecurity Queensland is visiting both properties to determine the horse's movements and what other horses it had contact with.
Queensland Horse Council president Debbie Dekker said the Beaudesert area was a stronghold for all sectors of the horse industry.
But she expected the fallout from the latest outbreak to be limited to affected properties.
"It's a big horse area - there's stockhorse studs, arab studs, pony clubbers, equestrian people, trail riders and thoroughbred studs as well," she told AAP.
"But it's only horses on the affected properties that will be at risk, because Hendra is not very contagious and requires nose-to-nose contact.
"There'll be no cancellation of horse events in the district or anything like that."
Hendra has a high death rate in humans - four of the seven confirmed human cases recorded since Hendra surfaced in 1994 resulted in death.
While the exact route of infection is not known, it's thought horses may contract it by eating food contaminated by flying fox urine, saliva or birth fluids.
