Horsetalk.co.nz Portable kit able to deliver Hendra test results in horses in less than an hour
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Professor Ben Ahern, left, with a LAMP Genie III diagnostic machine, veterinary nurse Gabriella Doxey with horse Cartouche, and veterinary researcher Lyndal Hulse holds the Hendra diagnostic sampling kit. Photo: University of Queensland
A new diagnostic point-of-care kit can detect the dangerous Hendra virus in horses in under an hour, rather than days.
A rapid point-of-care diagnostic test to detect Hendra infections in horses has been sorely needed for decades, says University of Queensland veterinarian, Professor Ben Ahern, who worked on developing the kit.
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University of Queensland vets are diagnosing the deadly Hendra virus in horses faster than ever, developing a diagnostic point-of-care kit that can detect the pathogen in under an hour, rather than days.
Veterinarian Professor Ben Ahern said a rapid point-of-care diagnostic test to detect Hendra infections in horses has been sorely needed for decades.
“Hendra virus kills humans and horses alike – the virus spreads to horses from flying foxes, with an infected horse occasionally passing the infection on to humans,” Professor Ahern said.
“Without vaccination, the virus has a case fatality rate of 57 per cent among humans and 79 per cent among horses – it’s incredibly deadly.
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