A new type of Hendra virus was discovered in the flying fox or bat by scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO). Previously, the Hendra virus was known as an infectious disease in horses that could be transmitted to humans.
The CSIRO detailed their findings in a paper published days after a new genetic form of the virus called HeV-g2 was discovered in a horse near Newcastle in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.
WHO calls the Hendra virus a rare disease that is transmitted from animals to humans. This virus can cause severe or fatal infections in horses and humans, and its natural hosts are bats, also known as fruit bats.
Previous studies have found the presence of the virus in fruit bats in Queensland and NSW. Tracing monitoring samples of bats from 2013 to 2021, CSIRO scientists discovered a new strain of Hendra virus that is common in bats in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.
"It is important to note that Hendra has never been reported to spread directly from bats to humans," said one of the CSIRO scientists, Dr Kim Halpin, quoted by 9News.
"This virus is always transmitted from infected horses to humans. We hope this new genetic type will behave in the same way."
Dr Halpin said further research was needed to find out more about the mutation of the Hendra virus. Scientists anticipate an existing Hendra virus vaccine for horses to work against the new form of mutation.
