Oz Dog Infected With Lethal Bat-Borne Horse Virus Sparks Fear

A lethal horse virus, thought to be spread via half-chewed fruit, or water and food contaminated by bats' droppings, has for the first time been detected in a dog.

Authorities in Australia fear that the lethal Hendra virus has jumped species.

Australian Scientists Discover How Horse Virus Hendra Spreads
Australian scientists with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) claim to have made a breakthrough discovery on how the horse virus Hendra spreads.

"This is the first time outside of a laboratory that an animal other than a flying fox or a horse, or a human, has been confirmed with Hendra virus infection," Discovery News quoted Queensland state Chief Veterinary Officer Rick Symons as saying.

Symons said the dog, which tested positive for antibodies for the disease but appeared healthy, was on a property where Hendra had been confirmed and was currently under quarantine.

He added that the case raised many questions for bio security and health officials and researchers.

Sudden Appearance of Rare Horse Virus Alarms Australians
People of Queensland in Australia are alarmed over the sudden appearance of a rare horse virus. Health authorities are appealing for calm.

"We don't know how the dog contracted the virus or when it happened. Based on our knowledge to date, it is most likely that the dog caught the virus from an infected horse," he stated.

So far, 14 horses have died or been put down in Australia since June as a result of the Hendra virus, which was only discovered in 1994.

Rapid Test to Diagnose Bacterial, Viral Infections
A new, quick and accurate test that can distinguish between bacterial and viral infections has been developed by Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

No humans have yet been infected in the current outbreak, which has affected farms in New South Wales and Queensland, but four of the seven people ever to have contracted the disease have died.

Source-ANI

New Test Tells Difference Between Bacterial and Viral Infections
A rapid, accurate test points out the difference between the bacterial and viral infections.