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Human trial of Hendra vaccine comes to a close
horse
Hendra virus occurs naturally in flying foxes and causes severe disease in horses and humans.
Chief health officer says there were no serious adverse effects
 
A year-long human trial of a Hendra vaccine has come to an end, with no serious adverse effects seen in any of the 40 participants.

Queensland's chief health officer Jeanette Young told AAP that clinical trial results will be released later this year.

The trial involved five groups of eight people, of whom six were administered the monoclonal antibody and two were given a placebo.

Hendra virus occurs naturally in flying foxes and causes severe disease in horses and humans. The route of transmission to horses is thought to be food that has been contaminated with the urine, faeces or foetal fluids of infected bats. Humans become infected through close contact with affected horses.

The virus was first identified in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra in Australia in 1994. According to the Australian Veterinary Association, the last outbreak was reported in September 2015.

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.