Salt Gully virus in Australian flying foxes

Scientists at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, have identified a new virus in Australian flying foxes, a discovery which strengthens Australia’s preparedness against emerging infectious diseases.

Named Salt Gully virus, the novel henipavirus was discovered in bat urine samples collected in Queensland.

CSIRO researchers were able to isolate and grow Salt Gully virus in CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) high containment laboratory.

Salt Gully virus in same family as Hendra
Salt Gully virus belongs to the same virus family as Hendra virus, which has caused fatal infections in horses and humans in Australia, and Nipah virus, known for causing outbreaks in humans across Asia.

Read more: https://www.echo.net.au/2025/09/salt-gully-virus-australian-flying-foxes/