against Q fever, but staff working at surveillance for Australian bat lyssavirus adjoining businesses were not necessarily during 2016. This is likely to be due to good vaccinated. This finding enabled seasonal conditions for bats during the precautionary measures to be taken, and all mating season, a subsequent increase in staff potentially at risk to be vaccinated juvenile bats, and a period when inadequate against Q fever. feed resulted in the increased bat population becoming weak. Q fever research also continued at the University of Melbourne as a result of a Laboratory results indicated that the virus significant outbreak in regional Victoria is circulating in the fruit bat population in in 2015. Victoria, albeit at low levels. This knowledge allows accurate and ongoing communication Psittacosis with bat handlers and people who are scratched by bats. Agriculture Victoria staff were involved in a field investigation when a significant number Salmonellosis of birds in aviaries at a wildlife sanctuary were reported to be infected with psittacosis Agriculture Victoria conducted several (Chlamydophylla psittaci). A site-specific field investigations in 2016, including three response plan was developed that included incidents involving Salmonella Typhimurium a revised biosecurity protocol, and treatment in caged and free-range commercial egg and monitoring of all affected birds. No enterprises. Samples were collected at the human cases were reported during the implicated properties and were tested at the incident. department’s veterinary laboratory, AgriBio. Audits were conducted on the affected Australian bat lyssavirus properties to ensure correct egg handling and grading protocols. An increased number of samples, mainly young bat pups, were submitted for
against Q fever, but staff working at adjoining businesses were not necessarily vaccinated. This finding enabled precautionary measures to be taken, and all staff potentially at risk to be vaccinated against Q fever. Q fever research also continued at the University of Melbourne as a result of a significant outbreak in regional Victoria in 2015. Psittacosis Agriculture Victoria staff were involved in a field investigation when a significant number of birds in aviaries at a wildlife sanctuary were reported to be infected with psittacosis (Chlamydophylla psittaci). A site-specific response plan was developed that included a revised biosecurity protocol, and treatment and monitoring of all affected birds. No human cases were reported during the incident. Australian bat lyssavirus An increased number of samples, mainly young bat pups, were submitted for surveillance for Australian bat lyssavirus during 2016. This is likely to be due to good seasonal conditions for bats during the mating season, a subsequent increase in juvenile bats, and a period when inadequate feed resulted in the increased bat population becoming weak. Laboratory results indicated that the virus is circulating in the fruit bat population in Victoria, albeit at low levels. This knowledge allows accurate and ongoing communication with bat handlers and people who are scratched by bats. Salmonellosis Agriculture Victoria conducted several field investigations in 2016, including three incidents involving Salmonella Typhimurium in caged and free-range commercial egg enterprises. Samples were collected at the implicated properties and were tested at the department’s veterinary laboratory, AgriBio. Audits were conducted on the affected properties to ensure correct egg handling and grading protocols.
Animal-Health-in-Victoria-2016_Text-only.docx