Hendra - vaccinate or vacillate?

Hendra - the word that strikes fear into horse owners and veterinarians all over Australia. For those who are overseas, Hendra is a virus that appeared in Queensland in 1994, carried by flying foxes (a type of bat). Originally named equine morbillivirus, it was named "Hendra" after the Brisbane suburb where it first appeared. Four people have died from Hendra virus, out of seven known to be infected. Every animal  that has tested positive has been put down, including a horse who apparently recovered from the virus. So as you read this, understand that yes, Hendra kills. I get that.

But is it the curse it's being hyped up to be? Hendra virus is easily killed - by heat, soap or drying it out. It likes cool, moist conditions. It is not airborne, very close contact with an infected horse's bodily fluids is required to transmit it - in other words, you actually need the snot on you!! It is rare and sporadic - 84 cases since 1994, out of over 1.2 million horses in Australia.

Risks can be easily minimised, by some simple precautions - handwashing, using appropriate personal protective attire, basic hygiene and disinfecting of equipment. I heard a vet complain that they loved working with animals because the diseases were not transmitted from animal to human, and now they would have to use PPE. Well, the health professions (for humans) have been using standard precautions for decades now, it isn't that hard. I was always taught, from my earliest riding days, NEVER to touch another horse, especially one I didn't know, because if it was sick, you could give that illness to every horse you then touched after it. Has this simple rule been forgotten?

For your typical horse owner, there are also some preventive strategies to be used - keep your feed and water away from trees, and cover them up or put them in a paddock shelter. If you have fruit trees, keep your horses away from them whilst the bats are around, and don't leave food lying around that will attract bats. Clean up any fruit debris before allowing horses to graze near the trees again. Simples! No bats - no virus. And if your horse has ANY signs of illness, don't have the farrier out, or the dentist, or your little friend down the road, and INFORM THE VET OF SYMPTOMS BEFORE THEY ARRIVE. Keep your kids away from the horse too, as they may inadvertently spread whatever it is that your horse has. AT least give the vet a chance to sort out precautions - because it has been mostly vets who died, helping other people's horses. I wouldn't blame any vet who refused to treat horses with symptoms of Hendra, however I liken that to a doctor refusing to treat an AIDS patient, and we know that doctors aren't allowed to discriminate like that - but they do take precautions! So give your vet a chance to do the same. It would also be worthwhile keeping a "PPE kit" of your own, with your first aid supplies. It should contain things like disposable gloves, gowns/overalls, masks/face shields, hand cleanser, disinfectant, occlusive dressings for protection in case you have any wounds, and waste disposal bags. You can get the items you need from most hardware shops and pharmacies. And USE THEM!

Late last year, a vaccine was released for use. "Yay" I hear you say. But is it? This vaccine is NOT fully tested, and can only guarantee 6 months protection. The control animals in the published trials are ferrets. Every horse who is vaccinated is then microchipped, and the details sent to the manufacturer, for use as part of their ongoing research. And it costs! Between $150-$200/dose, depending where you are. EVERY 6 MONTHS. Now, if I (and by default, my animals) am part of a vaccine trial, especially without a choice in the matter, I expect the research body to pay for it! I also expect them to trial it on breeding stock - the manufacturer's information clearly states that this is yet to be completed. Another issue that I have is that they KILL all the animals who test positive, well or sick, recovered or not. Surely those well animals, or those who recover, are far more valuable for research purposes than they are pushing up daisies? How is it that some animals  carry antibodies but do not get sick, and how is it that the bats carry Hendra in places such as Victoria, yet no animals have become sick there? There are so many unanswered questions regarding Hendra, and I feel that this is where much of the fear comes from. (Apart from the obvious marketing ploys by the vaccine manufacturer and big push from the veterinary association.) There is even a statement released recently stating that trials are delayed due to issues with the control animals - the ferrets didn't get sick!

But my biggest problem, is that many organisations are now asking for compulsory Hendra vaccination before people can attend events. This includes the NSW branch of Equestrian Australia and some pony clubs. In my opinion, this is too big a step. Hendra is a LOW RISK virus, not highly contagious, and simple biosecurity measures can prevent it. It is NOT like Equine Influenza. Hendra is limited to a small area on the east coast of Australia only, and limited to certain properties - where even other horses living on the same properties were not infected! I find it amusing that EA NSW stipulate that an event where horses stay overnight is a "Hendra Vaccinated Event" yet single day events are not. The risk of catching Hendra are the same - if there's a sick horse, there's a sick horse, doesn't matter how long it stays there!

My belief is that events will suffer, as the every day horse owner decides that the one or two events they might attend per year are not worth the cost, or risk, or inconvenience, of vaccination. Already shrinking competitor numbers will be reduced further, threatening the viability of many events. Those who compete with breeding animals will think twice about whether it is worth the effort. Interesting that the Queensland EA branch, the state where Hendra first appeared, and a rather high risk area, continue to allow voluntary vaccination.

Personally, I believe that compelling people to vaccinate their horses is simply an insurance cover, so the organisers can't be blamed if a horse gets sick. More kids die of whooping cough every year than have died of Hendra, yet vaccination for pertussis is NOT compulsory. Forcing people to buy this pricey vaccine, and be added to the database of a big drug company, if they want to compete, could IMO be seen as discriminatory. Especially since it is NOT fully tested and approved - it's on a "limited use permit" only, and the manufacturer even states that immunity is not guaranteed. Now the little problem of "herd immunity" also comes up - what percentage of horses need to be vaccinated to provide this? The manufacturer states that only 120,000 horses nationwide have been vaccinated. That's not many, out of 1,200,000 total horses! Take human measles virus, this requires 95% vaccination of the population to achieve herd immunity. Granted, it is far more contagious than Hendra, but herd immunity needs to be high to offer significant protection from any virus.

The choice to vaccinate remains a personal one for every horse owner, however I am unconvinced that all the hype is worth it, and I won't be forced into it by any association. I'll take my horses elsewhere, where people are more open-minded to the scientific realities of this low risk virus. Yes, Hendra kills. So do many other things, far more often than Hendra virus.