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In September 1994, prominent Queensland horse trainer Vic Rail, his stable hand, and most of his horses fell ill to a sudden and mysterious illness.

Developing the world's first Hendra vaccine

A deadly new virus threatened to stop Australia's premier horse race – the Melbourne Cup. Over the next 16 years, 18 outbreaks of the now infamous Hendra virus were recorded through Queensland and NSW.

Road to finding a vaccine

Animal health research

Avian influenza

Our scientists at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) help track the constant evolution of avian influenza strains including those that have the potential to change from low pathogenicity to high pathogenicity.

African swine fever

Our Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) was built to help protect Australia's livestock industries from disease threats such as African swine fever (ASF), and our scientists are well prepared to help and respond.

Canine ehrlichiosis

In 2020, staff at the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) confirmed that dogs from the Kimberley region of Western Australia were infected with the disease canine ehrlichiosis, previously not detected in Australia.

Fighting Nipah virus

In 1998-99 an outbreak of a disease caused by a new virus, now called Nipah virus, killed more than 100 people and infected thousands of pigs in Malaysia. Our scientists were part of the international task force to tackle the virus and have since participated in research to better understand the virus and to help develop countermeasures.

Foot and Mouth Disease

Our research works to secure our livestock from highly infectious disease outbreaks.

Foot and mouth disease

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is a highly infectious viral disease affecting cloven hoofed animals. While FMD is not transmissible to people, the disease has major economic consequences. We're working with industry and government to ensure Australia is prepared should FMD reach our shores.

Finding solutions

Hendra vaccine

Equivac® HeV–the first vaccine to protect Australian horse owners and the equine industry against the deadly Hendra virus.

Horseshoe

We collaborated with veterinarians to create the first 3D printed horseshoe to put an end to chronic foot disease.

How farm animals 'feel'

We are researching ways to improve the welfare of livestock by developing scientific methods for assessing how animals 'feel' in response to common management practices.

CannPal

CannPal identified a gap in the market for natural plant-derived animal therapies that are both safe and effective for promoting better health and wellbeing for companion animals, focusing on compounds derived from cannabis.

Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness 

ACDP (formerly AAHL) helps protect Australia’s multi-billion dollar livestock and aquaculture industries, and the general public, from emerging infectious disease threats. Staff at the facility provide technical policy advice and training to state, national and international biosecurity, veterinary and health agencies on disease management and mitigation strategies. The Centre also offers an extensive range of laboratory services, including tests required for animal transport and quarantine, emergency animal disease testing, innocuity and aquatic animal testing.

Learn more about ACDP

All veterinary research

Contact us

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