Australian Hendra Crisis Continues

Diseases that transfer between animals and humans (zoonotic diseases like Hendra virus) are on the rise. The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is calling for increased research funding and more effective coordination of human and animal health agencies to help to deal with these new risks.

"Around 70 per cent of new and re-emerging infectious diseases are capable of infecting both humans and animals," said Dr Diane Sheehan, Immediate Past President of the AVA.

"We live in a global society, and with increasing international travel and trade, environmental shifts and closer human and animal contact, we can expect to see these diseases more often.

"The Queensland outbreak of Hendra virus is very serious. Twenty years ago we didn’t know this disease existed, so we definitely need more research into how to prevent and manage it better. Many other diseases like avian influenza and SARS have emerged from animals to create health problems in humans. An outbreak of a zoonotic disease that infects Australians on a wide scale is a real possibility.

"There is international recognition that human, animal and ecosystem health are all linked. Australia needs to increase funding to research emerging diseases such as Hendra, and consider the development of a cooperative body that coordinates research and delivery across the human and animal health professions.

"The existence of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US is an excellent example of how important this issue is to international governments," Dr Sheehan said.

"There needs to be close coordination between the human and animal health professions and government and non-government sectors. This will help both research into the diseases and our ability to manage an outbreak.

"We need to act now, before we are hit with the next big epidemic." 

Source: www.ava.com.au