Site Published: 16th April 2010
Last updated: 18th April 2010
Last updated: 18th April 2010
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Page added: 18th April 2010
Updated: 7th January 2012
Updated: 7th January 2012
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2011 Outbreaks |
Location | Horse Deaths | Horses Quarantined |
Properties Quarantined |
Humans Exposed to Infected Horses |
Bat Colony Roosting at Property | Bats Feeding or Occassionally Seen |
| 18 | Beachmere | 3 | 1 | 1 | ? | NO | Nearest colony approx 5klm |
| 17 | North Ballina | 1 | - | 1 | ? | ? | Flowering trees |
| 16 | Currumbin Valley (Qld) | 1 | 22 | 1 | 2 | ? | ? |
| 15 | Mullumbimby (NSW) | 1 | 1 | 1 | ? | ? | ? |
| 14 | South Ballina (NSW) | 2 | 4 | 1 | ? | ? | ? |
| 13 | Ballina (NSW) | 1 | 2 | 1 | ? | NO | NO TREES |
| 12 | Mullumbimby (NSW) | 1 | 8 | 1 | 3 | No | Fig Tree |
| 11 | Chinchilla | 1 | 5 | 2 | 6 | No | Not seen |
| 10 | Logan (died 28/6/11) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ? | ? |
| 9 | Lismore (NSW) | 1 | 1 | 1 | ? | No | Likely |
| 8 | Boondall (Qld) | 1 | 6 | 2 | Yes | ? | ? |
| 7 | Hervey Bay (Qld) | 1 | 1 | 1 | Yes | ? | ? |
| 6 | Kuranda (Nth Qld) | 1 | 36 | 1 | 4 | No | Flight path |
| 5 | Macksville (NSW) | 1 | 3 | 1 | ? | No | Yes |
| 4 | Logan - Park Ridge (SE Qld) | 1 | ? | 4 | 2 | No | ? |
| 3 | Mt Alford (SE Qld) | 3 | 7 | 1 | 6 | No | Not seen |
| 2 | Wollongbar (NSW) | 2 | - | 1 | 9 | No | Likely |
| 1 | Kerry - Beaudesert (SE Qld) | 1 | - | 2 | 9 | No | Yes |
| Total | 24 | ||||||
|
Quaranti ne is lifted after 3 rounds of testing clearing remainin g animals of infection Note: 1st horse on Beachm ere property not tested |
|||||||
As the toll continues to rise and details come to hand, further updates will be included here and on the page Sick Horses - How do the really present?
Update - 3rd November 2011
Queensland Government's handling of Hendra deficient, says Ombudsman Phil Clarke
SYSTEMIC failures across several departments plagued the Queensland Government's handling of Hendra virus outbreaks, a report has found.
Queensland Ombudsman Phil Clarke has released the findings of his investigation into the way Government agencies responded to six incidents of Hendra between June 2006 and October 2009.
The investigation identified outdated and inconsistent policies and procedures, as well as dated and overlapping legislation that led to inconsistent quarantine practices. Read more>
To get a copy of the Ombudsman report The Hendra Virus Report here:
SYSTEMIC failures across several departments plagued the Queensland Government's handling of Hendra virus outbreaks, a report has found.
Queensland Ombudsman Phil Clarke has released the findings of his investigation into the way Government agencies responded to six incidents of Hendra between June 2006 and October 2009.
The investigation identified outdated and inconsistent policies and procedures, as well as dated and overlapping legislation that led to inconsistent quarantine practices. Read more>
To get a copy of the Ombudsman report The Hendra Virus Report here:
Bureaucrat claims Queensland's Ombudsman botched Hendra report
Koren Helbig - The Courier-Mail - November 04, 2011
Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation boss Ian Fletcher said the report by Ombudsman Phil Clarke, released yesterday, had inaccuracies and outdated information, quoted officers out of context and misconstrued evidence. Read more>
Bligh says govt acted before Hendra report
Larine Statham - November 3, 2011
The Queensland government had made significant changes to the way it handled Hendra virus outbreaks well before the ombudsman released a critical report, Premier Bligh says.
Ombudsman Phil Clarke's investigation found systemic failures hampered the Labor government's response to six Hendra outbreaks between June 2006 and October 2009. Read more>
Worth noting here that the Ombudsman investigation began in 2009 and the Department was aware of the investigation. The proposed final report was completed in April 2011 and sections provided to the principal officers of the various Departments under investigation, just 2 months before the first recorded outbreak of Hendra this year. Since then 18 separate outbreaks have been detected across Queensland and New South Wales.
Watchdog slams State over poor response to deadly Hendra virus
by: Koren Helbig- The Courier-Mail
In a scathing report released Thursday morning, Ombudsman Phil Clarke found policies and procedures were outdated, quarantine practices were inconsistent and there was inadequate communication with vets and horse owners.
The Government had also failed to implement recommendations from previous internal and external reports and did not properly train staff, contractors and property owners. Read more>
To get a copy of the Ombudsman report The Hendra Virus Report here:
Koren Helbig - The Courier-Mail - November 04, 2011
Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation boss Ian Fletcher said the report by Ombudsman Phil Clarke, released yesterday, had inaccuracies and outdated information, quoted officers out of context and misconstrued evidence. Read more>
Bligh says govt acted before Hendra report
Larine Statham - November 3, 2011
The Queensland government had made significant changes to the way it handled Hendra virus outbreaks well before the ombudsman released a critical report, Premier Bligh says.
Ombudsman Phil Clarke's investigation found systemic failures hampered the Labor government's response to six Hendra outbreaks between June 2006 and October 2009. Read more>
Worth noting here that the Ombudsman investigation began in 2009 and the Department was aware of the investigation. The proposed final report was completed in April 2011 and sections provided to the principal officers of the various Departments under investigation, just 2 months before the first recorded outbreak of Hendra this year. Since then 18 separate outbreaks have been detected across Queensland and New South Wales.
Watchdog slams State over poor response to deadly Hendra virus
by: Koren Helbig- The Courier-Mail
In a scathing report released Thursday morning, Ombudsman Phil Clarke found policies and procedures were outdated, quarantine practices were inconsistent and there was inadequate communication with vets and horse owners.
The Government had also failed to implement recommendations from previous internal and external reports and did not properly train staff, contractors and property owners. Read more>
To get a copy of the Ombudsman report The Hendra Virus Report here:
Update - 4th November 2011
Exclusive Interview with
Dr Deborah Middleton
on Casey Radio
25th August 2011
CLICK HERE TO PLAY AUDIO
Dr Deborah Middleton
on Casey Radio
25th August 2011
CLICK HERE TO PLAY AUDIO
Update - 2nd December 2011
Investigation of the Climatic and Environmental Context of Hendra Virus Spillover Events 1994–2010
Citation: McFarlane R, Becker N, Field H (2011) Investigation of the Climatic and Environmental Context of Hendra Virus Spillover Events 1994–2010. PLoS ONE 6(12): e28374. Doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028374: Editor: Anthony R. Fooks, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, United Kingdom
This study demonstrates a significant association with the dry season for spillover events 1994–2010. A consistent pattern of lower rainfall, temperature and recurrent primary productivity is evident at all sites between May and October. However, no pattern of within-seasonal variation emerges that distinguishes event months from non-events. Conditions for environmental persistence of active virus are not met more frequently in the month of events. Lower temperatures occur regularly for 1–2 months mid-year in the southern locations where the majority of events occur (6 events have occurred in the S.E. Queensland bioregion, which includes the northern N.S.W. event). Peachester, where two spillover events have occurred, has 5 months with median monthly temperatures below 22°C annually (and is also closest to a permanent flying fox roost of all locations). It is extremely unusual for temperatures of 37°C, or greater, to occur at any of these coastal sites. No other pattern was discerned from within-season variation of rainfall or temperature.
Read Online at PLoS ONE here
What this study does not, nor could it take into account, the factors that were preventing cases being detected, as has been clearly demonstrated this year and published on this website. Testing methods have been improved, increasing the sensitivity to the testing, raised awareness and hence greater numbers of samples being submitted. The ridiculous tight criteria in the vet guidelines previously preventing recognition of suspect cases and as reported in the Ombudsman's report, veterinarians were having difficulties in getting access to the testing. Statistically the more testing, the more cases will be detected.
Citation: McFarlane R, Becker N, Field H (2011) Investigation of the Climatic and Environmental Context of Hendra Virus Spillover Events 1994–2010. PLoS ONE 6(12): e28374. Doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028374: Editor: Anthony R. Fooks, Veterinary Laboratories Agency, United Kingdom
This study demonstrates a significant association with the dry season for spillover events 1994–2010. A consistent pattern of lower rainfall, temperature and recurrent primary productivity is evident at all sites between May and October. However, no pattern of within-seasonal variation emerges that distinguishes event months from non-events. Conditions for environmental persistence of active virus are not met more frequently in the month of events. Lower temperatures occur regularly for 1–2 months mid-year in the southern locations where the majority of events occur (6 events have occurred in the S.E. Queensland bioregion, which includes the northern N.S.W. event). Peachester, where two spillover events have occurred, has 5 months with median monthly temperatures below 22°C annually (and is also closest to a permanent flying fox roost of all locations). It is extremely unusual for temperatures of 37°C, or greater, to occur at any of these coastal sites. No other pattern was discerned from within-season variation of rainfall or temperature.
Read Online at PLoS ONE here
What this study does not, nor could it take into account, the factors that were preventing cases being detected, as has been clearly demonstrated this year and published on this website. Testing methods have been improved, increasing the sensitivity to the testing, raised awareness and hence greater numbers of samples being submitted. The ridiculous tight criteria in the vet guidelines previously preventing recognition of suspect cases and as reported in the Ombudsman's report, veterinarians were having difficulties in getting access to the testing. Statistically the more testing, the more cases will be detected.
The Minister endorses the message this website has been promoting for two years!
"Hendra Virus is a relatively new virus and until recently Queensland was the only place in the world where it was known to exist.
"However, after this year Hendra is now not just a Queensland problem - it is a national issue and we need to approach it accordingly," he said. Read More>
Thoroughbred breeders snubbed at Hendra congress
Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association president Basil Nolan said was disappointed both the TBQA and Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) were not allowed to participate in the congress.
"The TBQA has been at the forefront of the push for a Hendra Virus vaccine as far back as 2008 and has worked tirelessly to assist Biosecurity Queensland disseminate the correct information concerning the disease since the tragic death of Dr Alistair Rogers in 2009," Mr Nolan said.
"We have on numerous occasions written to government bodies showing our support for the work Biosecurity Queensland and the DPI have been doing in regards to Hendra, long before this latest cluster of outbreaks and we even organised and promoted our own Hendra Virus seminar in 2009. Read More>
Unfortunately, the TBQA have been unwittingly promoting some inaccurate information. Indeed they have been proactive in disseminating information about the virus on their website. They have available slide show presentations that were presented by officials at their seminar in November 2009, including the former CVO's presentation who continued to promote the most severe clinical signs such as fever over 40 and copious nasal discharge by using this photo, despite the vet guidelines having these restrictions removed in April 2009.
"Hendra Virus is a relatively new virus and until recently Queensland was the only place in the world where it was known to exist.
"However, after this year Hendra is now not just a Queensland problem - it is a national issue and we need to approach it accordingly," he said. Read More>
Thoroughbred breeders snubbed at Hendra congress
Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association president Basil Nolan said was disappointed both the TBQA and Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) were not allowed to participate in the congress.
"The TBQA has been at the forefront of the push for a Hendra Virus vaccine as far back as 2008 and has worked tirelessly to assist Biosecurity Queensland disseminate the correct information concerning the disease since the tragic death of Dr Alistair Rogers in 2009," Mr Nolan said.
"We have on numerous occasions written to government bodies showing our support for the work Biosecurity Queensland and the DPI have been doing in regards to Hendra, long before this latest cluster of outbreaks and we even organised and promoted our own Hendra Virus seminar in 2009. Read More>
Unfortunately, the TBQA have been unwittingly promoting some inaccurate information. Indeed they have been proactive in disseminating information about the virus on their website. They have available slide show presentations that were presented by officials at their seminar in November 2009, including the former CVO's presentation who continued to promote the most severe clinical signs such as fever over 40 and copious nasal discharge by using this photo, despite the vet guidelines having these restrictions removed in April 2009.
Update - 8th December 2011
This topic has been covered extensively here on this page Sick Horses - How do they really present also History Repeats which shows how the 2006 Independent Review clearly states the restrictive criteria on the veterinary guidelines was to be favoured to reduce attendant demands on resources and costs associated with investigation and response, including declaration of quarantine.
The Government did not want to have vets find cases, it was more convenient to keep this rare.
The Government did not want to have vets find cases, it was more convenient to keep this rare.
This year the Queensland Government knew they were under investigation and could no longer get away with ignoring vets concerns, nor could they get away with discouraging vets from submitting samples. Statistically, the more testing they do, the more cases they will find. To direct any of the research funding towards investigating this so called spike in cases this year can only be seen as a further misuse of vital funding. Hendra is a notifiable disease, it is deadly and it is here to stay. If the recommendations made by the Ombudsman are adopted and the same level of sampling done in the future, it is most likely they will find this year was not unprecedented but closer to the norm.
Unexpected Result of Hendra Virus Outbreaks for Veterinarians, Queensland, Australia
Diana H. MendezComments to Author , Jenni Judd, and Rick Speare
Author affiliations: James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
The Study
During 2009–2010, we conducted face-to-face, in-depth interviews with 21 veterinarians and allied staff from 14 equine and mixed private veterinary practices from a range of urban and rural areas between Cairns and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (Table 1) (10). We asked a series of open-ended questions to determine what HeV-related infection-control and workplace health and safety issues confront equine practices (Table 2). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes.
Of the 20 veterinary professionals interviewed, 12 (60%) had dealt with >1 suspected cases of HeV, and 7 (35%) had dealt with a confirmed case of HeV. Of the 18 veterinarians interviewed, 4 (22%) reported having ceased equine practice, and as many as 8 (44%) knew of >1 colleagues who had done so in the previous 12 months. The decisions to quit were mostly motivated by the HeV-related fear for personal safety and legal liability. READ MORE>
Dead horses too decayed for hendra tests
The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries has confirmed it has not tested 25 dead horses for hendra virus or taken any other toxicology tests.
The gruesome discovery, just off the New England Highway near Glen Innes, in the state's north-west, was made after police received a tip-off at the weekend.
Department spokesman Brett Fifield says vets from the Livestock Health and Pest Authority determined that blood and tissue testing could not be done. Read more>
Diana H. MendezComments to Author , Jenni Judd, and Rick Speare
Author affiliations: James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
The Study
During 2009–2010, we conducted face-to-face, in-depth interviews with 21 veterinarians and allied staff from 14 equine and mixed private veterinary practices from a range of urban and rural areas between Cairns and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (Table 1) (10). We asked a series of open-ended questions to determine what HeV-related infection-control and workplace health and safety issues confront equine practices (Table 2). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for themes.
Of the 20 veterinary professionals interviewed, 12 (60%) had dealt with >1 suspected cases of HeV, and 7 (35%) had dealt with a confirmed case of HeV. Of the 18 veterinarians interviewed, 4 (22%) reported having ceased equine practice, and as many as 8 (44%) knew of >1 colleagues who had done so in the previous 12 months. The decisions to quit were mostly motivated by the HeV-related fear for personal safety and legal liability. READ MORE>
Dead horses too decayed for hendra tests
The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries has confirmed it has not tested 25 dead horses for hendra virus or taken any other toxicology tests.
The gruesome discovery, just off the New England Highway near Glen Innes, in the state's north-west, was made after police received a tip-off at the weekend.
Department spokesman Brett Fifield says vets from the Livestock Health and Pest Authority determined that blood and tissue testing could not be done. Read more>
Update - 20th December 2011
Update - 13th December 2011
Profectus BioSciences, Inc. Receives $5.4M Grant to Develop a Monocolonal Antibody Against Infection by Nipah/Hendra Viruses By Benzinga Staff
Profectus BioSciences, Inc. (Profectus), a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against infectious diseases and cancers, announced today it has received a grant under the Partnerships for Biodefense RFA by the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH. This $5.4M award supports the preclinical development of m102.4, an antibody intended as a post-exposure prophylactic against Nipah or Hendra virus infection.
Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are closely related Paramyxoviruses that cause a respiratory and encephalitis disease in a variety of animal hosts and in humans. The natural reservoir for these viruses is thought to be flying foxes (bats of the genus Pteropus) found in Southeast Asia and Malaysia. Human infection occurs after exposure to direct exposure to tissues and secretions from infected horses, pigs, and bats. There is currently no approved therapeutics against either NiV or HeV and death is certain for approximately 75% of the cases. Read more>
Profectus BioSciences, Inc. (Profectus), a leader in the development of therapeutic and preventive vaccines against infectious diseases and cancers, announced today it has received a grant under the Partnerships for Biodefense RFA by the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH. This $5.4M award supports the preclinical development of m102.4, an antibody intended as a post-exposure prophylactic against Nipah or Hendra virus infection.
Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are closely related Paramyxoviruses that cause a respiratory and encephalitis disease in a variety of animal hosts and in humans. The natural reservoir for these viruses is thought to be flying foxes (bats of the genus Pteropus) found in Southeast Asia and Malaysia. Human infection occurs after exposure to direct exposure to tissues and secretions from infected horses, pigs, and bats. There is currently no approved therapeutics against either NiV or HeV and death is certain for approximately 75% of the cases. Read more>
Update - 5th January 2012
The first case of the deadly Hendra Virus for 2012 has been detected near Townsville
A CASE of the potentially fatal Hendra virus has been confirmed on a property near Townsville with four people under observation for 'low level' exposure. Read More>
A CASE of the potentially fatal Hendra virus has been confirmed on a property near Townsville with four people under observation for 'low level' exposure. Read More>
|
2012 Outbreaks |
Location | Horse Deaths | Horses Quarantined |
Properties Quarantined |
Humans Exposed to Infected Horses |
Bat Colony Roosting at Property | Bats Feeding or Occassionally Seen |
| 1 | Townsville (Qld) | 1 | 5 | 1 | 4 | ? | ? |
| Quarantine is lifted after 3 rounds of testing clearing remaining animals of infection | |||||||
Outbreaks can happen at any time of the year, anywhere that there is flying fox activity.
DOMESTIC cats have the potential to contract the fatal Hendra virus and pass it to humans, Queensland's chief veterinary officer says.
Dr Rick Symons says studies are being done to better understand how Hendra spreads, its effects on family pets and how dogs and cats can pass the virus to humans.
"The limited information we have is that it doesn't seem to affect the dogs," Dr Symons told AAP.
"Cats can certainly get it and spread it. Read More>
Interesting that the CVO is making such bold statements in the press this weekend, considering the Department and the scientists working on the virus have known since 1996 that cats were susceptible to the virus and could also transmit the virus. This has been exposed previously on this website two year ago (see Be Alert Not Alarmed) because the veterinarian that diagnosed a live case of Hendra in a horse at Peachester in 2006 was asked by the then Director General to correct her statements in a newsletter to prevent unnecessary anxiety in the public.
Will the Queensland Health Department now allow for the remains of Tania Benholz to be sent to AAHL to be examined to find out if she did die from Hendra virus, given that her two cats died around the same time?
Clinical Symptoms of the horse confirmed positive last week:
The three-year-old horse was first seen to be unwell on the morning of Tuesday 3 January 2012. A private veterinarian examined the horse on Tuesday 3 January 2012 and collected samples for Hendra virus testing. The horse was recorded as having an acute onset of the following clinical signs:
· blindness
· ataxia
· HR 48 RR 24
· temperature 39.9#C
· injected oral MM
· CRT > 4 seconds
· clotting time two minutes
· ileus
· facial swelling
· bilateral serous nasal discharge
· dull demeanour.
From the CVO Communique No 1 - 5 January read here.
The 19th outbreak in a little over six months, and this case, like 23 of the 24 horse deaths since June 2011, this one would also not have met the previous strict criteria on the Veterinary guidelines to have been considered a suspect case.
Dr Rick Symons says studies are being done to better understand how Hendra spreads, its effects on family pets and how dogs and cats can pass the virus to humans.
"The limited information we have is that it doesn't seem to affect the dogs," Dr Symons told AAP.
"Cats can certainly get it and spread it. Read More>
Interesting that the CVO is making such bold statements in the press this weekend, considering the Department and the scientists working on the virus have known since 1996 that cats were susceptible to the virus and could also transmit the virus. This has been exposed previously on this website two year ago (see Be Alert Not Alarmed) because the veterinarian that diagnosed a live case of Hendra in a horse at Peachester in 2006 was asked by the then Director General to correct her statements in a newsletter to prevent unnecessary anxiety in the public.
Will the Queensland Health Department now allow for the remains of Tania Benholz to be sent to AAHL to be examined to find out if she did die from Hendra virus, given that her two cats died around the same time?
Clinical Symptoms of the horse confirmed positive last week:
The three-year-old horse was first seen to be unwell on the morning of Tuesday 3 January 2012. A private veterinarian examined the horse on Tuesday 3 January 2012 and collected samples for Hendra virus testing. The horse was recorded as having an acute onset of the following clinical signs:
· blindness
· ataxia
· HR 48 RR 24
· temperature 39.9#C
· injected oral MM
· CRT > 4 seconds
· clotting time two minutes
· ileus
· facial swelling
· bilateral serous nasal discharge
· dull demeanour.
From the CVO Communique No 1 - 5 January read here.
The 19th outbreak in a little over six months, and this case, like 23 of the 24 horse deaths since June 2011, this one would also not have met the previous strict criteria on the Veterinary guidelines to have been considered a suspect case.
Update - 7th January 2012