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Preventive veterinary medicine2014; 117(1); 40-51; doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.08.002

Hendra virus in Queensland, Australia, during the winter of 2011: veterinarians on the path to better management strategies.

Abstract: Following the emergence of Hendra virus (HeV), private veterinarians have had to adopt additional infection control strategies to manage this zoonosis. Between 1994 and 2010, seven people became infected with HeV, four fatally. All infected people were at a higher risk of exposure from contact with horses as they were either veterinary personnel, assisting veterinarians, or working in the horse industry. The management of emerging zoonoses is best approached from a One Health perspective as it benefits biosecurity as well as a public health, including the health of those most at risk, in this case private veterinarians. In 2011 we conducted a cross-sectional study of private veterinarians registered in Queensland and providing veterinary services to horses. The aim of this study was to gauge if participants had adopted recommendations for improved infection control, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and the development of HeV specific management strategies during the winter of 2011. A majority of participants worked in practices that had a formal HeV management plan, mostly based on the perusal of official guidelines and an HeV field kit. The use of PPE increased as the health status of an equine patient decreased, demonstrating that many participants evaluated the risk of exposure to HeV appropriately; while others remained at risk of HeV infection by not using the appropriate PPE even when attending a sick horse. This study took place after Biosecurity Queensland had sent a comprehensive package about HeV management to all private veterinarians working in Queensland. However, those who had previous HeV experience through the management of suspected cases or had attended a HeV specific professional education programme in the previous 12 months were more likely to use PPE than those who had not. This may indicate that for private veterinarians in Queensland personal experience and face-to-face professional education sessions may be more effective in the improvement of HeV management than passive education via information packages. The role of different education pathways in the sustainable adoption of veterinary infection control measures should be further investigated.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2014-08-19 PubMed ID: 25175674PubMed Central: PMC7132398DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.08.002Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The researchers of this study aimed to evaluate the adoption of improved infection control strategies, such as the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and the development of Hendra virus (HeV) specific management strategies among private veterinarians working with horses in Queensland, Australia. The knowledge of veterinarians was assessed after Biosecurity Queensland had sent a comprehensive HeV management package but demonstrated that previously having HeV experience or attending an educational programme seemed to encourage better adoption of HeV management strategies.

Background of the Study

  • The study focuses on Hendra Virus (HeV), a zoonosis or disease transmitted from animals to humans, that has necessitated the need for additional infection control strategies by private veterinarians.
  • The emergence of HeV has led to human infections, usually from contact with horses, with fatalities between 1994 and 2010.
  • For dealing with such emerging zoonoses, a “One Health” perspective that includes biosecurity and public health measures is considered most effective.

Objective and Methodology of the Study

  • The researchers conducted a cross-sectional study in 2011 among private veterinarians registered in Queensland and providing veterinary services to horses.
  • The aim of the study was to assess if these private veterinarians followed recommended guidelines for infection control, including the use of PPE and the development of specific management strategies for HeV.

Findings of the Study

  • The study found that most of the participating veterinarians did work in practices that had a formal HeV management plan, which majorly relied on the official guidelines and an HeV field kit.
  • The use of PPE increased as the health status of an equine patient got worse, suggesting that many vets assessed the risk of HeV exposure appropriately, while a portion continued to remain at risk by not using the proper PPE while attending a sick horse.

Role of Experience and Education

  • An interesting observation from the study was that those veterinarians who had previous experience managing suspected HeV cases, or had attended a HeV-specific professional education program in the past year were more likely to use PPE than those who had not.
  • This potentially indicates that for private veterinarians in Queensland, direct experience and face-to-face professional education sessions might be more effective in improving HeV management than mere passive education through information packages.
  • The researchers suggest further investigation into the role of different education pathways in the sustainable adoption of veterinary infection control measures.

Cite This Article

APA
Mendez D, Buttner P, Speare R. (2014). Hendra virus in Queensland, Australia, during the winter of 2011: veterinarians on the path to better management strategies. Prev Vet Med, 117(1), 40-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.08.002

Publication

Preventive veterinary medicine
ISSN: 1873-1716
NlmUniqueID: 8217463
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 117
Issue: 1
Pages: 40-51
PII: S0167-5877(14)00254-2

Researcher Affiliations

Mendez, Diana
  • College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia. Electronic address: Diana.Mendez@jcu.edu.au.
Buttner, Petra
  • Tropical Health Solutions Pty Ltd., 72 Kokoda St., Idalia, QLD 4811, Australia.
Speare, Rick
  • College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia; Tropical Health Solutions Pty Ltd., 72 Kokoda St., Idalia, QLD 4811, Australia.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Communicable Disease Control / methods
  • Communicable Disease Control / standards
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Education, Veterinary
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Hendra Virus
  • Henipavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Henipavirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Henipavirus Infections / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / virology
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Occupational Exposure / prevention & control
  • Protective Devices
  • Queensland / epidemiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Veterinarians
  • Zoonoses

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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
  1. Steele SG, Booy R, Manocha R, Mor SM, Toribio JLML. Towards One Health clinical management of zoonoses: A parallel survey of Australian general medical practitioners and veterinarians. Zoonoses Public Health 2021 Mar;68(2):88-102.
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  4. Mendez DH, Büttner P, Kelly J, Nowak M, Speare Posthumously R. Difficulties experienced by veterinarians when communicating about emerging zoonotic risks with animal owners: the case of Hendra virus. BMC Vet Res 2017 Feb 18;13(1):56.
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  5. White J, Thompson K, van den Berg D, O'Neill G, Mendez DH, Talwar J, Degeling C, Forsythe R, Durrheim DN. 'Pretty devastating': exploring horse owner and veterinarian lived experiences of the equine Hendra virus. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1661615.
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