Risk of Exposure

Australia’s “Flying fox” bats (genus Pteropus) are the natural reservoir of Hendra virus. Serologic evidence for HeV infection have been found in all fours species of Australian flying foxes, but spillover of the virus in horses is limited to coastal and forested regions in Australia (Queensland and New South Wales states)  (see Henipavirus Distribution Map).

People at highest risk are those living within the distribution of the flying foxes and with occupational or recreational exposure to horses that have had potential contact with flying foxes in Australia.