Premier Horse Agistment

Split Rock Mountain

Understanding the risk

Infection with Hendra virus can be fatal for both horses and humans. Fruit bats (flying foxes) are the natural hosts of Hendra virus. The spread of Hendra virus from bats to horses is believed to occur through contamination of feed or water with urine, droppings or bodily fluids.

Hendra virus can be spread not only from horse to horse, but also from horse to human, through contact with respiratory secretions, or blood, from an infected horse. Of the seven people who have been infected with Hendra virus to date, four have died. Five of these were veterinary health professionals. 

The symptoms of Hendra virus infection in horses are extremely variable and not in themselves diagnostic. They may include:

    Rapid onset of illness
    Rise in body temperature and heart rate
    Discomfit/weight shifting from one leg to another
    Rapid deterioration, breathing difficulties and/or neurological signs

Since there is no known treatment for Hendra virus infection, annual vaccination is the single most effective way to reduce the risk of the virus transferring from bats to horses and from horses to humans.

Because the symptoms of Hendra virus infection are so generic and because of the risk to any human handling an infected horse, many veterinarians will understandably not attend a sick horse unless it is vaccinated against Hendra virus.

To ensure accurate identification of a vaccinated horse, it must be microchipped prior to vaccination. Once vaccinated, the details of the horse are entered in the National Hendra Vaccination Registry by the vaccinating veterinary clinic. The horse’s vaccination status can then readily be checked, for example, by any veterinarian, prior to attending the horse, if it should be unwell.

Hence vaccinating against Hendra not only protects horses and their handlers from potential infection with the virus, but also ensures that horses can receive prompt veterinary attention whenever required.