Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Zoonotic disease in Australia caused by a novel member of the paramyxoviridae.
- Journal:
- Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
- Year:
- 1998
- Authors:
- Paterson, D L et al.
- Affiliation:
- Infectious Disease Section · United States
Plain-English summary
In Queensland, Australia, there were two separate outbreaks of a new virus affecting 23 horses and three humans. Sadly, two of the humans died; one had a quick onset of trouble breathing, and the other suffered from brain inflammation. The third person got sick with flu-like symptoms but fully recovered. All the infected humans had been in close contact with the sick horses. Researchers found that fruit bats carried the same virus, suggesting that the horses likely got infected from close contact with the bats, even though the humans did not interact with them.
Abstract
Twenty-three horses and three humans in Queensland, Australia, were infected with a novel member of the Paramyxoviridae family of viruses in two geographically distinct outbreaks. Two of the humans died-one died of rapid-onset respiratory illness, and the other died of encephalitis. The third infected human developed an influenza-like illness and made a complete recovery. All infected humans had close contact with sick horses. Since the two outbreaks occurred at sites 1,000 km apart and no known contact between the two groups of humans and horses occurred, extensive testing of animals and birds common to the two areas was conducted. Fruit bats (Pteropus species) were found to carry a virus identical to that found in the infected humans and horses. Although there was no contact between the infected humans and the bats, some form of close contact between the horses and bats is the likely mode of infection.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9675464/