VETERINARY staff and residents who had contact with an infected pony that was euthanised at a property in the Gold Coast hinterland on May 25 have been cleared of Hendra virus.
Staff from Tamborine Mountain, Canungra and Yarrabilba Veterinary Services attended the sick animal, which was later confirmed to have succumbed to the Hendra virus by Biosecurity Queensland.
According to Dr Ben Poole of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), normal protocol is for Queensland Health to conduct a risk assessment of humans in contact with a confirmed Hendra case.
“If exposure is considered moderate to high, then a panel of infectious disease experts is called together to assess whether the post exposure therapy should be offered to that person or persons,” he told the Times.
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Queensland Health responds
A spokesperson for Queensland Health confirmed the department was notified by Biosecurity Queensland on May 25, 2017 about a confirmed Hendra virus infected horse.
“Queensland Health's public health experts assessed seven people including the vets who may have potentially had contact with the infected horse.
“There were varying degrees of exposure amongst the seven contacts with none being assessed as having high exposure and none developing Hendra virus disease.”
According to Queensland Health, transmission of Hendra virus requires very close contact with blood or other body fluids from an infected horse.
It is extremely rare for a human to contract the Hendra virus. There have been only seven recorded instances across Australia since the virus was identified in 1996.
Farm safety reminder
The 2017 National Farm Safety Week is taking place this week, and this year veterinarians are asking farmers to consider how they can better prevent, detect and manage animal diseases on their farms.
According to president of the AVA Dr Paula Parker, a range of diseases pose a risk to the health of animals, such as Salmonellosis and Johne’s disease, but there are also zoonotic diseases that can pass from animals to humans.
These threats to human health include Hendra virus, Q fever and leptospirosis.
“Resilience, health and safety in the agricultural community involves human health, animal health and sustainable and robust agricultural businesses,” Dr Parker said.
“A disease outbreak in a herd or flock comes at enormous short- and long-term costs to agricultural businesses. Prevention and risk management is essential to protecting livestock against disease.”
Information on Hendra virus can be found on the Queensland Health website conditions.health.qld.gov.au/HealthCondition/condition/14/217/363/Hendra-Virus-Infection.
Anyone who is concerned that they may have had contact with a Hendra virus infected horse should contact their health provider or call 13Health (13 43 25 84).
