A recombinant
Hendra virus G glycoprotein subunit vaccine protects nonhuman primates against
Hendra virus challenge.
"Results of laboratory tests yesterday revealed the surviving horse -- which was showing signs of illness for more than 24 hours -- was carrying the
Hendra virus," said chief NSW veterinarian Ian Roth.
It is unlikely that Nipah virus is easily transmitted to humans, although previous outbreak reports suggest that it is transmitted more readily than
Hendra virus. Despite frequent contact between fruit bats and humans, there is no serological evidence of human infection among people who work with bats.
The Nipah virus, which took its name from a village in Negri Sembilan state, where it was first discovered last year, is a variant of encephalitis related to the
Hendra virus.
The virus was thought to be Japanese encephalitis, but recent studies have shown the likely cause to be similar to the
Hendra virus which killed horses and two people in Australia in 1994-95.
This report summarizes the preliminary epidemiologic and laboratory investigations of these cases, which indicate that a previously unrecognized paramyxovirus related to, but distinct from, the Australian
Hendra virus is associated with this outbreak.
The natural reservoir for
Hendra virus is believed to be flying foxes (bats of the genus Pteropus) found in Australia.
ua It is caused by a ribonucleic acid virus of the family Paramyxoviridae, and is closely related to the
Hendra virus.
Hendra Virus is considered as one of the rarest diseases in the world.
The fatal effect of the
Hendra virus was noticed first in Queensland, Australia in 1994 when several horses died from an 'unidentified cause'.
He was trained by battler Vic Rail, who died in 1994 after succumbing to the
Hendra virus.
