Hendra Virus News and Research

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Queensland authorities try to contain Hendra virus outbreak

The Queensland authorities have stepped up their efforts to contain an outbreak of the deadly Hendra virus on a farm near Beaudesert, south of Brisbane.

29 Jun 2011

New experimental vaccine prevents infection of horses with deadly Hendra virus

CSIRO scientists have shown that a new experimental vaccine helps to protect horses against the deadly Hendra virus. Dr Deborah Middleton from CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) will announce the successful progress to develop the vaccine at the Australian Veterinary Association conference in Adelaide today.

18 May 2011

Hendra virus vaccine to be released soon

According to CSIRO’s early success with testing, the Hendra virus vaccine for horses could be available as early as next year. Hendra virus affects horses and is contracted through contact with flying foxes.

16 May 2011

Hendra virus alert among horse owners

Hendra virus is a bat-borne virus that has killed four of the seven humans who have been infected and caused the deaths more than 40 horses since it was discovered in 1994. Humans contract the disease from horses but there has been neither human-to-human transmission of the disease nor direct transmission from bats to humans report experts. The majority of outbreaks have occurred during June and October, however last year a horse in Tewantin contracted the virus in May.

5 May 2011

Australian epidemics research programme to be disbanded

The Australian Federal Government scrapped the funding to the Australian National University’s Master of Applied Epidemiology (MAE) program. This group helps Australia’s response to major disease outbreak and will be disbanded at the end of next year. According to Emeritus Professor Robert Douglas who founded this program, this has been responsible for Australia’s response to serious epidemic outbreaks in the past.

14 Nov 2010

Scientists identify potential new treatment for Nipah and Hendra viruses

Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have identified a potential new treatment for the Nipah and Hendra viruses, two lethal and emerging viruses for which there is currently no treatment or vaccine available. The approach could also lead to new therapies for measles, mumps and the flu. The new research appears in today's edition of the prestigious journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) Pathogens.

29 Oct 2010

Hendra virus treatment to be ready in a few months

Of the dozen people who were exposed to a horse infected with the Hendra virus, 11 have been cleared of the infection by repeated tests on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. These 12 people had first come into contact with the infected horse at Tewantin in May and have since then been subjected to testing to rule out infection with the deadly virus. It is expected that the 12th person will also be cleared soon. Quarantine restrictions were also lifted last month.

14 Jul 2010

Experimental Hendra virus treatment offered to mother and daughter

After recent reports of a horse being put down for being infected with the deadly Hendra virus, new reports of an experimental treatment have surfaced. At Queensland's Sunshine Coast a mother and daughter duo, Rebecca Day and her 12 year old girl Mollie, who had been exposed to the virus, have been offered the experimental treatment.

27 May 2010

Hendra virus infects a horse in south Queensland – authorities fear spread

A horse was put down at Tewantin, near Noosa and it was confirmed that it had Hendra virus infection. At present quarantine measures are being taken.

20 May 2010

University of Sydney hosts emerging infectious diseases and biosecurity conference

The latest research to combat emerging infectious diseases threatening Australia is being presented at the Sydney Institute of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosecurity Conference at the University of Sydney today.

19 May 2010

Scientists report a major step forward in the development of an effective therapy against Nipah virus

A collaborative research team from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), Australian Animal Health Laboratory and National Cancer Institute, a component of the National Institutes of Health, reports a major step forward in the development of an effective therapy against two deadly viruses, Nipah virus and the related Hendra virus.

31 Oct 2009

Research suggests the possibility of an effective treatment for Hendra virus infections in humans

A scientific team from CSIRO and the US has demonstrated that administering human monoclonal antibodies after exposure to Nipah virus, which is closely related to Hendra virus, protected animals from challenge in a disease model.

31 Oct 2009

Research team reports advances in development of an effective therapy against the Nipah and Hendra virus

A collaborative research team from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU), the Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports a major step forward in the development of an effective therapy against two deadly viruses, Nipah virus and the related Hendra virus.

30 Oct 2009

Genomics can provide insights in understanding emerging infectious disease

This week, the Public Library of Science, an open-access publisher, presents the "Genomics of Emerging Infectious Disease," a collection of essays, perspectives, and reviews that explores how genomics-with all its associated tools and techniques-can provide insights into our understanding of emerging infectious disease.

27 Oct 2009

Major breakthrough in understanding of Hendra virus

Groundbreaking CSIRO research into how the deadly Hendra virus spreads promises to save the lives of both horses and humans in the future.

15 Apr 2009

Hendra and Nipah viruses shown to be susceptible to chloroquine

Two highly lethal viruses that have emerged in recent outbreaks are susceptible to chloroquine, an established drug used to prevent and treat malaria, according to a new basic science study by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in the Journal of Virology.

5 Mar 2009

Experts warn Australia is surrounded by a ring of disease hot-spots

Australian biosecurity experts have warned that Australia is surrounded to its north by a 'ring of fire' where new human and animal plagues could appear with very little warning and with potentially dire consequences.

6 Jan 2009

Hendra virus claims life of Queensland veterinarian

The deadly Hendra virus has claimed the life of yet another victim, this time a human one.

20 Aug 2008

Hendra horse virus scare puts another vet in hospital

The Australian Hendra horse virus is still causing concern since the initial outbreak in July as a female veterinarian who euthanised a racehorse infected with the potentially deadly virus is now being monitored in hospital after an accidental needle stick injury.

20 Aug 2008