Bat colonies probed in Hendra research
Researchers inwards Queensland convey made meaning progress inwards agreement the effects of dispersal on flight fob colonies.
Biosecurity Queensland’s main scientist Dr Hume Field said the 12-month enquiry projection past times the Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases assessed the impact of colony dispersal on stress in addition to Hendra virus infection levels inwards affected flight foxes.
Hendra is a virus carried past times fruit bats inwards Australia. It is able to endure passed to horses in addition to on rare occasions tin endure passed from horses to human. Four of the 7 reported cases inwards people convey proved fatal.
“A primal finding of the projection flora in that place was no association betwixt the disturbance to a colony from dispersal in addition to an increase inwards the excretion of Hendra virus,” Field said.
“Researchers measured the stress hormones in addition to virus levels inwards flight foxes past times collecting in addition to testing urine before, during in addition to later the dispersal of a colony.
“Transmitters were too attached to flight foxes to rail their movements past times satellite, in addition to showed that flight foxes did non remain inwards the ane colony, merely regularly moved from colony to colony.
“Of the xiii colonies monitored – 10 inwards Queensland, 3 inwards New South Wales – 10 were dispersed or disturbed every bit a final result of the submission of a Damage Mitigation Permit.”
In Queensland, colony dispersal may move on solely later a comprehensive assessment is completed past times the Department of Environment in addition to Heritage Protection in addition to nether a Damage Mitigation Permit.
Field said the study provided scientific evidence that disturbed colonies typically had measurable, short-lived stress of a like marking to that seen alongside natural stress events such every bit mating.
“Research too highlighted that Hendra virus excretion was much less inwards trivial ruddy flight foxes in addition to inwards grey-headed flight foxes,” Field said.
“The marking of Hendra virus excretion was flora to endure higher inwards dark in addition to spectacled flying-foxes, suggesting these species may endure a to a greater extent than of import rootage of infection for horses than the trivial ruddy or grey-headed flight foxes.”
Field said the enquiry was commissioned past times National Hendra virus Research Program inwards 2011 to investigate whatever association betwixt colony dispersal, stress in addition to Hendra virus excretion.
The National Hendra Virus Research Program is funded past times the Commonwealth of Australia, in addition to the states of New South Wales in addition to Queensland.
“Studies volition proceed to clarify the utilisation of flight fob species, the utilisation of environmental factors, in addition to the utilisation of Equus caballus demeanour inwards the transmission of Hendra virus from flight foxes to horses,” Field said.
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