Hendra: An Emerging Viral Disease in Equine

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Number of diseases have been emerged in the recent past and many of thesehave been emerged with a new fate. Hendra is a newly emerged disease of horses andhumans. Members of the family Paramyxoviridae infect numerous species but withhost specificity. Hendra virus of this family has become more important due to itszoonotic potential. Fruit bats have been considered as an asymptomatic reservoir hostfor this virus due to high seroprevalence against Hendra virus, earlier called "horsemorbillivirus." Horses become affected after ingesting contaminated material pollutedwith fruit bat urine. Disease transmission from horses to humans occurs while touchingthe horse's fluids. Hendra is a fatal disease and causes death within a few daysfollowing the appearance of the clinical picture. Clinical signs involving the respiratoryand nervous systems are evident during the disease course. Postmortem lesions are alsoassociated with the lungs. Electron microscopy, Immunofluorescence, PCR and ELISAare laboratory diagnostic tools for Hendra. With the advancement of the world, the loadof emerging diseases is increasing. Although Hendra has not been considered as awidespread disease yet but is a transboundary threat, so there is a need to control it. AViral G glycoprotein-based vaccine has been produced in Australia against the Hendravirus. For the control of this disease, handling of infected horses and vaccination areimportant strategies.