Hendra virus disease in horses.
Abstract: The author provides an account of the discovery of a previously undescribed disease of horses and a description of the studies involved in determining the aetiology of the disease. The causative virus, now named Hendra virus (HeV), is the reference virus for a proposed new genus within the virus family Paramyxoviridae. The virus is a lethal zoonotic agent able to cause natural disease in humans and horses and experimentally induced disease in cats, guinea-pigs and mice. The virus also naturally infects species of the family Megachiroptera, mainly subclinically, and such animals are the natural host of HeV. The virus appears to transmit readily between species of Megachiroptera, but not readily between horses under natural and experimental conditions, or from horses to humans. The method of transmission from bats to horses is not known. Three incidents of HeV disease in horses have been recorded in Australia--two in 1994 which caused the death of two humans and fifteen horses and one in 1999 which involved the death of a single horse. Hendra virus is related to Nipah virus, the virus that caused disease and mortality in humans, pigs, dogs and cats in Malaysia during 1998 and 1999.
Publication Date: 2001-02-24 PubMed ID: 11189712DOI: 10.20506/rst.19.1.1203Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research paper talks about the discovery and study of Hendra virus, a lethal zoonotic disease originally found in horses, which also impacts other animals and humans. The study also sheds light on potential transmission methods and its relation to other diseases like Nipah virus.
Discovery and study of Hendra virus
- The paper begins with an account of the discovery of a previously undescribed disease affecting horses. The disease, caused by a virus that is now named Hendra virus (HeV), is potent and lethal, with the ability to cause natural disease in humans and horses. It can also induce disease experimentally in cats, guinea-pigs, and mice.
Inter-species transmission
- The author notes that HeV naturally infects species of the Megachiroptera family, usually on a subclinical basis. These animals represent the natural hosts of HeV.
- The transmission of this virus appears to be relatively easy between species of Megachiroptera (large bats and flying foxes), but not readily between horses, or from horses to humans. This suggests that the virus is not aggressively contagious between certain species, unlike in others.
- One unsolved element of HeV transmission is the method of transmission from bats (Megachiroptera) to horses, which remains unknown at the time of the paper.
Recorded incidents and related diseases
- The paper reports three incidents of Hendra virus disease in horses, recorded in Australia: two in 1994 (leading to the death of two humans and fifteen horses) and one in 1999 (resulting in the death of a single horse).
- The article also mentions that HeV is related to another lethal zoonotic virus, the Nipah virus. This virus caused disease and mortality in humans, pigs, dogs, and cats in Malaysia during the 1998 and 1999 outbreaks.
Cite This Article
APA
Westbury HA.
(2001).
Hendra virus disease in horses.
Rev Sci Tech, 19(1), 151-159.
https://doi.org/10.20506/rst.19.1.1203 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australian Animal Health Laboratory, P.O. Bag 24, Geelong, Victoria 3220, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Australia / epidemiology
- Cats
- Chiroptera
- Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control
- Disease Outbreaks / statistics & numerical data
- Guinea Pigs
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / transmission
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Humans
- Mice
- Paramyxoviridae Infections / diagnosis
- Paramyxoviridae Infections / epidemiology
- Paramyxoviridae Infections / transmission
- Paramyxoviridae Infections / virology
- Paramyxovirinae / pathogenicity
- Paramyxovirinae / physiology
- Zoonoses / epidemiology
- Zoonoses / transmission
- Zoonoses / virology
References
This article includes 23 references
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Diederich S, Babiuk S, Boshra H. A Survey of Henipavirus Tropism-Our Current Understanding from a Species/Organ and Cellular Level. Viruses 2023 Oct 4;15(10).
- Satterfield BA, Mire CE, Geisbert TW. Overview of Experimental Vaccines and Antiviral Therapeutics for Henipavirus Infection. Methods Mol Biol 2023;2682:1-22.
- Tendu A, Hughes AC, Berthet N, Wong G. Viral Hyperparasitism in Bat Ectoparasites: Implications for Pathogen Maintenance and Transmission. Microorganisms 2022 Jun 16;10(6).
- Laing ED, Amaya M, Navaratnarajah CK, Feng YR, Cattaneo R, Wang LF, Broder CC. Rescue and characterization of recombinant cedar virus, a non-pathogenic Henipavirus species. Virol J 2018 Mar 27;15(1):56.
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- Hanna JN, McBride WJ, Brookes DL, Shield J, Taylor CT, Smith IL, Craig SB, Smith GA. Hendra virus infection in a veterinarian. Med J Aust 2006 Nov 20;185(10):562-4.
- Ludlam CA, Powderly WG, Bozzette S, Diamond M, Koerper MA, Kulkarni R, Ritchie B, Siegel J, Simmonds P, Stanley S, Tapper ML, von Depka M. Clinical perspectives of emerging pathogens in bleeding disorders. Lancet 2006 Jan 21;367(9506):252-61.
- Burnouf T, Griffiths E, Padilla A, Seddik S, Stephano MA, Gutiérrez JM. Assessment of the viral safety of antivenoms fractionated from equine plasma. Biologicals 2004 Sep;32(3):115-28.
- Guillaume V, Contamin H, Loth P, Georges-Courbot MC, Lefeuvre A, Marianneau P, Chua KB, Lam SK, Buckland R, Deubel V, Wild TF. Nipah virus: vaccination and passive protection studies in a hamster model. J Virol 2004 Jan;78(2):834-40.
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