Horses and People Magazine

Reports about the Hendra virus (HeV) outbreak in horses near Brisbane over the past few days serves as a timely reminder about the critical importance of monitoring of horses and implementation of biosecurity protocols for horse owners.

Lessons from the recent Equine Influenza outbreak must not be forgotten. This also serves to remind us that emergency disease outbreaks can happen independently of any border quarantine issues. Emergency horse diseases can arise within Australia; they do not necessarily come from off shore.

Hendra Virus is a notifiable disease in Queensland. You must advise the DPI&F if you think you have a case of the disease on your property or at your veterinary clinic.

HeV infection of horses and humans has occurred as two forms:

The following information should be read by all horse owners or people in contact with horses.

Dr Ron Glanville, Chief Veterinary Officer, Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries has just notified the Qld Horse Council that there is an outbreak of the Hendra Virus at a Vet Clinic in the Redlands area.

The clinic has been quarantined which includes some 39 horses. To date 3 horses have died and tests are ongoing on others to confirm or rule out the Virus.

At this stage the cause of the outbreak of the virus is not know.

The DPI&F are confident that the strict quarantine procedures in place at the Redlands Clinic will contain the virus but everyone is asked to be vigilant.

Information can be found at the DPI website

The following information, provided by the DPI is a situation breakdown of the Hendra Virus containment at Redlands.

Biosecurity Queensland received laboratory results this evening (Tuesday, July 8) which confirmed three horses from a veterinary practice on the outskirts of Brisbane have tested positive for Hendra Virus.