Discovery of Australian Bat Lyssavirus in Horses Poses Threat to Humans as Well
Some people think bats only live in caves, but they can also be found in trees, crevices in rocks, by the seaside, or even in the desert.
Photo Credit: Brittany Bevis
Australian Veterinary Association
The confirmation of the first two cases of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) in horses last year has highlighted the need for greater awareness of the disease in all domestic animals.
A rabies-like virus, ABLV had previously only been detected in bats and humans and until 2013 Australia had been considered free from these types of viruses in domestic and feral animals including horses.
Two veterinarians, who have studied the two cases in-depth, have published a paper in this month’s issue of Australian Veterinary Journal on their findings.
The authors want horses and other domestic animals that present with progressive neurological disease or symptoms reflecting diffuse neurological dysfunction to be tested for ABLV so that appropriate post exposure and treatment assessment can take place. Testing will also provide a greater understanding of the disease’s prevalence in Australia.
According to the paper’s co-authors Dr Ed Annand and Dr Peter Reid, the two cases demonstrate that ABLV can infect domestic animals. “This possibility had previously been acknowledged but never before confirmed,” they said. “ABLV presents a significant zoonotic risk and, as with other lyssaviruses worldwide, under- diagnosis is likely.”
“In the past, people have become infected with the deadly lyssavirus by being scratched or bitten by a flying fox or micro-bat, but the spillover to horses reported in our paper indicates that animals other than bats can pose potential human health threats. Further neurological disease surveillance would be beneficial to increase our understanding and identification of the disease’s zoonotic risk.”
“There are two recognized variants of Australian bat lyssavirus which are genetically very similar to the rabies virus and cause a disease clinically indistinguishable from rabies in humans and horses,” they said.
The AVA recommends that vets and wildlife carers in contact with bats should be vaccinated against rabies. Vets should also practice good personal biosecurity when attending sick horses.
The paper can be viewed online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/avj.12227/abstract
