Update on Equine Australian Bat Lyssavirus Case

Officials visited the affected horse’s home property and reported no animals were showing signs of illness.
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Chief veterinary officers from across Australia met May 21 to discuss the Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) case confirmed in a horse on the Southern Downs in Queensland. This case, which Biosecurity Queensland reported May 17, is the first known case of ABLV identified in a horse

Queensland’s Chief Biosecurity Officer Jim Thompson, BVSc, MACVSc, said Biosecurity Queensland officers revisited the property May 21 and reported that no animals were showing any signs of illness.

"A number of options for managing the property were considered yesterday by the chief veterinarians," Thompson said. "Biosecurity Queensland will be discussing these options with the property owner, including isolation and potential vaccination of animals and will continue to work closely with them in managing the situation.

"Through our understanding of this virus, it is believed that the infected horse was most likely infected through being scratched or bitten by a bat," he added. "Testing has confirmed the virus in the infected horse was the type of ABLV found in one species of insect-eating microbats, not flying foxes

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