Bat Lyssavirus Test Aims to Speed Up Response Times

The first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus in a horse was reported in May 2013 in Queensland.
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A rapid test for Australian bat lyssavirus—now being conducted at the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Primary Industries’ (DPI) Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute (EMAI)—is helping to speed up response times for those at risk of contact with the potentially deadly virus.

“In the last year, there have been four positive cases in NSW of lyssavirus in bats, a disease capable of transferring to horses and people,” said Jef Hammond, PhD, DPI Director of the Centre for Animal and Plant Biosecurity.

The first confirmed case of Australian bat lyssavirus in a horse was reported in May 2013 in Queensland, Australia. That horse was euthanized. 

“In many of these cases, people are waiting anxiously to hear the results because they may have been in contact with the submitted bat," Hammond explained. “The sooner the health authorities can be informed about any positive test results, the sooner they can address the potential human health risks

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