New vaccine for Hendra virus Released - The Hon. Joe Ludwig - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

1 November 2012
DAFF12/411L

Joint media release
Senator The Hon. Joe Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Senator for Queensland
Senator The Hon. Chris Evans, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research;  Leader of the Government in Senate

The first vaccine to protect horses against the Hendra virus is now a commercial reality.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, and the Minister for Science and Research, Senator Chris Evans, welcomed today’s announcement by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) to issue a permit allowing the Australian sale and use of the vaccine.

Limited supplies of the vaccine will soon be available to horse owners and to the Australian equine industry through accredited veterinarians under strict conditions.

“The vaccine is an important step towards breaking the cycle of this disease and reducing its impact on Australia’s horse-owning community,” Minister Ludwig said.

“For the first time, Australia has a Hendra-specific tool that provides horse owners, vets and other people that work in the industry with a greater level of safety when they come into contact with properly vaccinated horses.”

Senator Evans congratulated CSIRO on its program of research on the Hendra virus since it was first identified in 1994.

“This facility at AAHL is the only laboratory in the world where this work could take place,” Senator Evans said.

“I congratulate CSIRO and its partners for their important efforts in both developing this vaccine and ensuring its availability for use in combating Hendra infections.

“It’s important we continue research in this field to add to the number of measures that we can use against the deadly Hendra virus.”

The vaccine will help protect people from contracting the potentially lethal virus by preventing transmission from bats to properly vaccinated horses. However, people are being warned to stay vigilant as no vaccine is one hundred percent effective and strict biosecurity measures will still be required when dealing with sick horses.

Horse owners or horse organisations seeking to vaccinate their horses should approach their local vet for details about the vaccine, horse identification procedures and costs involved.

Background

In 2011, the Commonwealth Government announced a $6 million dollar contribution towards Hendra virus research over three years. CSIRO spends approximately $3 million annually on Hendra and Nipah related research.

In Australia, Pfizer Animal Health Australia has worked in close partnership with CSIRO’s Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) to develop and trial the vaccine. The company is working with horse industry sectors, vets and with the chief veterinary officers from all states, territories and the Commonwealth, to help ensure the limited supply of vaccine is directed to areas at highest risk from Hendra virus infection.

US organisations such as the Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine also contributed to the development of this important vaccine.

However the high bio-containment facility at CSIRO’s AAHL was essential for evaluating its beneficial effects.

The vaccine can only be supplied and administered under very strict conditions. It may only be used on micro-chipped horses by vets who are accredited by Pfizer Australia. The company must at all times be able to report on vaccine stock movements and use throughout the supply chain.

 

via maff.gov.au