Hendra Virus

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

I expect some property owners will tackle the issue with a chain saw.

You're probably right.

I think I'd double fence the trees so the shade was still available most of the day, but the horses couldn't be directly under.

[rubiton]

But have they confirmed that the dog got it from the horse or not - all the info til now said it had to go through a horse BUT viruses mutate and thats the problem. To say oh well stay away from horses and keep them away from the trees and its all good is not thinking ahead to what happens if it didnt come from the horses.

And what they get stressed and instantly their body emit virus but in a group left in a tree it doesnt - that sounds a bit odd and from reports its not like they make no mess until they are 'stressed'.

[Greytmate]

No you cant quaratine the bats but you can cull the ones straying from their 'native habitat' into populated areas - apparently the fruit growers had done that in the past and the bats stayed away probably back in the wild but once they were stgopped from culling one or two whole colonys moved into areas they hadnt been before. And now that natural disaster has driven them into areas where people live still cannot see why they are not culled like kangaroos and other natives that wander into to towns and cities.

They can't be culled like kangaroos, because they behave differently. Bats live in much larger colonies, they travel greater distances, and they fly away. Kangaroos habitat is large open and wooded areas, bats habitat is suburban gardens. Bats don't wander into populated areas, they arrive in their hundreds of thousands at dusk.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

But have they confirmed that the dog got it from the horse or not

It's usually possible to test this. I assume they have and they know that the virus that the humans and the dog had - went through the horses first.

The way viruses mutate - makes them traceable. Eg it is possible to trace back where HIV infections have been passed on also.

The fact sheet from the QLD government is quite helpful. As is the CSIRO article.

[Danielle]

It's not about the mess they make, it's about shedding the virus. A bat with hendra may do it's business without shedding the virus. Stress that animal and it's immune system will weaken therefore the virus will be shed into the droppings. So the thing is we need to avoid stressing those animals to lower the amount of virus they are shedding. Make sense?

But have they confirmed that the dog got it from the horse or not - all the info til now said it had to go through a horse BUT viruses mutate and thats the problem. To say oh well stay away from horses and keep them away from the trees and its all good is not thinking ahead to what happens if it didnt come from the horses.

And what they get stressed and instantly their body emit virus but in a group left in a tree it doesnt - that sounds a bit odd and from reports its not like they make no mess until they are 'stressed'.