Hendra Virus Infection
(Equine morbillivirus) |  |
| Hendra virus (HeV) is the prototype species of a new genus
Henipavirus
within the subfamily Paramyxovirinae. The viral agent is endemic in specific species of fruit bats (also called flying foxes), and close contact with these bats is suspected to have facilitated transfer of the HeV to horses. Horses are infected by oronasal routes and excrete HeV in urine, saliva, and respiratory secretions. |
| Epidemiology: |
| There have been 3 reported incidents of equine disease. In one outbreak, 14 of 21 horses died. During this outbreak, 2 human caregivers developed influenza-like signs; one did not survive. A morbillivirus cultured from his kidney was identical to the virus isolated from lungs of 5 affected horses. All human cases have been reported in association with equine cases. Very close contact is required to transmit the virus among horses and from horses to humans, and the virus is not
considered highly contagious. There was no serologic evidence of infection in 157 humans who had casual contact with infected humans and horses. Gray-headed fruit bats seroconvert and develop subclinical disease when inoculated with HeV; however, widespread subclinical disease or seroconversion is not recognized in horses. Infected horses develop severe and often fatal respiratory disease, characterized by dyspnea, vascular endothelial damage, and pulmonary edema. Depression,
anorexia, fever, respiratory difficulty, ataxia, tachycardia, and frothy, nasal discharge are common clinical signs. See
hendra virus infection,
Hendra Virus Infection: Introduction . |
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