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Livestock Cropping & Pasture General Farm

Zoonotic Virus Spill Over

Zoonotic virus spill overs of bat-borne viruses into horses, with horses being amplifying hosts, are a growing issue associated with climate change.

While the transmission of HeV (Hendra Virus) to horses from flying foxes is not fully understood, the same transmission pathway could be resulting in spillover of other viruses. These other viruses include the strain of Lyssa Virus from flying foxes and/or insectivorous micro bats.

The implications for horse owners are now on several official websites and it’s important for owners to follow particular steps to avoid increased risk of infection.