Outcomes This project has shown that flying-foxes travel large distances including between countries and over sea, highlighting the relevance of an international approach to the management of the viruses they may carry. It has also found evidence for the presence of Nipah virus much closer to Australia than previously recognised. Work on the project has resulted in the publication of papers in peer-reviewed journals and several book chapters and has been presented at many national and international conferences. There has also been media interest in the project with articles published in the Sydney Morning Herald and the Courier Mail. Visionary Goal To effectively manage the risk of introduction of Nipah virus to Australia’s animal and human populations		This slide shows Nipah virus in pig lung from Malaysia. Note the multinucleated (giant) cell caused by the virus. Image: Dr Peter Hooper, Australian Animal Health Laboratorymes
Background Statement Flying foxes (genus Pteropus, sub-order Megachiroptera) are the natural hosts of several recently emerged zoonotic viruses of animal and public health significance in Australia and South-East Asia.  These include the novel paramyxoviruses Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), and the rabies-like Australian bat lyssavirus (ABL). While the impacts of Hendra virus and ABL have been limited to date, major economic, social and public health repercussions followed an outbreak of Nipah virus in Malaysia in 1999. Over 1 million pigs were culled and 106 people died before the outbreak was brought under control.  Malaysia has yet to recover export markets.
While the putative natural hosts of Nipah virus (Pteropus vampyrus and P. hypomelanus) do not occur in Australia, they are widespread in the Indonesian archipelago and parts of the island of New Guinea, where their ranges overlap with three species that also occur in Australia (P. alecto, P. conspicillatus and P. scapulatus). The extent of contact between the Australian populations and those in the island of New Guinea and Indonesia is unknown, although seasonal movements from the island of New Guinea to the islands of Torres Strait to northern Australia and back have been reported.  Also unknown is the southern limit of Nipah virus, and whether this limit is stable or changing.  Given that the populations of P. vampyrus and P. hypomelanus sampled in peninsular Malaysia are effectively sub-populations of a regional metapopulation, it is probable that Nipah’s southern limit is at least that of its known host species. Objectives & Aims of Project 1. Describe the occurrence of henipaviruses in targeted northern Australian flying fox populations and pre-border flying fox populations. 2. Investigate the extent and nature of contact between flying fox populations in northern Australia and pre-border populations using molecular genetic and satellite telemetry techniques. Deliverables (a) The spatial distribution and seroprevalence of henipaviruses in flying fox populations in northern Australia, Torres Strait, Papua New Guinea, Indonesian Papua and East Timor (b) The spatial and temporal pattern of flying fox migrations in northern Australia, Torres Strait and the island of New Guinea

Return