The identification of a novel henipavirus Salt Gully Virus

A paper describing the identification of a novel henipavirus, Salt Gully virus (SGV), from Queensland flying foxes (Pteropus spp.), was published in Emerging Infectious Diseases this week. The paper is authored by researchers from CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

Key information 

• The genus Henipavirus includes the zoonotic Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), as well as other novel viruses previously identified in bats - Cedar virus, Ghana virus and Angavokely henipavirus.
• SGV is distinct from HeV and NiV and, like the other more divergent novel henipaviruses, SGV does not use the same transmission pathway as the pathogenic HeV and NiV.
• SGV does not infect equine cell lines in vitro.
• SGV has likely existed in wild bats at least since 2011 without evidence of disease in livestock or humans.
• Discovery of SGV does not change the current health risks posed by bats and has no implications on equine vaccination protocols or effectiveness of the HeV vaccine.

See here for the full paper and its key information for your awareness.