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smash · 02-08-2008, 06:13 AM

Janelle Miles
August 02, 2008 12:00am

TWO Redlands veterinary workers in a Brisbane hospital with the potentially deadly Hendra virus are believed to be seriously ill and deteriorating.

Veterinarian Ben Cunneen and a senior nurse from the Redlands Veterinary Clinic remain in the Princess Alexandra Hospital after being admitted two weeks ago.

The physician treating the pair last night asked that the "families' privacy be respected at this time".

Clinic owner David Lovell said he was "very concerned" about the plight of his employees.

"They are still in hospital and that has to be very much a worry," he said.

"Plenty of our staff members have been in there on a fairly regular basis."

Two Queensland properties remain under quarantine after separate outbreaks of the Hendra virus in horses last month.

Four horses at the Redlands clinic have died. Another two on a property at Proserpine in the state's north also are dead.

About 12 people in contact with the Redlands clinic will have a third round of blood tests later this month to clear them of the virus, which killed horse trainer Vic Rail, 49, in 1994.

A strapper who worked at Mr Rail's Hendra stables developed symptoms but recovered and Mackay sugarcane farmer Mark Preston, 35, died after contracting the infection in 1995.

The Hendra virus, named after the Brisbane suburb where it first emerged, is transmitted to horses by fruit bats.

Infectious diseases expert John MacKenzie, of Perth's Curtin University, said only people who had close contact with infected horses were at risk of contracting it but the virus was not easily transmitted from horse to human.

"We've got no real proof but we suspect when people get infected it's probably through a cut or abrasion which comes into contact with horse blood or nasal discharge," Professor Mackenzie said.

"There is no major risk to human health other than to people in direct close contact with the horses.

"The general public aren't likely to come in contact with it. There's no real danger."

Professor MacKenzie said no cases of human-to-human transmission had been recorded.

Although the virus is carried by fruit bats, he said there had been no cases of bats directly infecting humans.

02-08-2008, 06:13 AM	#18 (permalink)
smash Advanced Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2,180	Janelle Miles August 02, 2008 12:00am TWO Redlands veterinary workers in a Brisbane hospital with the potentially deadly Hendra virus are believed to be seriously ill and deteriorating. Veterinarian Ben Cunneen and a senior nurse from the Redlands Veterinary Clinic remain in the Princess Alexandra Hospital after being admitted two weeks ago. The physician treating the pair last night asked that the "families' privacy be respected at this time". Clinic owner David Lovell said he was "very concerned" about the plight of his employees. "They are still in hospital and that has to be very much a worry," he said. "Plenty of our staff members have been in there on a fairly regular basis." Two Queensland properties remain under quarantine after separate outbreaks of the Hendra virus in horses last month. Four horses at the Redlands clinic have died. Another two on a property at Proserpine in the state's north also are dead. About 12 people in contact with the Redlands clinic will have a third round of blood tests later this month to clear them of the virus, which killed horse trainer Vic Rail, 49, in 1994. A strapper who worked at Mr Rail's Hendra stables developed symptoms but recovered and Mackay sugarcane farmer Mark Preston, 35, died after contracting the infection in 1995. The Hendra virus, named after the Brisbane suburb where it first emerged, is transmitted to horses by fruit bats. Infectious diseases expert John MacKenzie, of Perth's Curtin University, said only people who had close contact with infected horses were at risk of contracting it but the virus was not easily transmitted from horse to human. "We've got no real proof but we suspect when people get infected it's probably through a cut or abrasion which comes into contact with horse blood or nasal discharge," Professor Mackenzie said. "There is no major risk to human health other than to people in direct close contact with the horses. "The general public aren't likely to come in contact with it. There's no real danger." Professor MacKenzie said no cases of human-to-human transmission had been recorded. Although the virus is carried by fruit bats, he said there had been no cases of bats directly infecting humans.