Vet dies of rare virus from horse

QUEENSLAND vet Alister Rodgers lost his battle with the lethal Hendra virus overnight, dying after two weeks in a coma. Dr Rodgers, of the Rockhampton Veterinary Clinic, was infected with the virus when he treated a sick filly - thought at the time to be suffering from snakebite - at the J4S stud in central Queensland on July 28. Despite an experimental treatment with anti-viral drugs, he fell into a coma three weeks later. The Australian Veterinary Association today paid tribute to Dr Rodgers. “We extend the sympathy of veterinarians around the country to Alister's family, friends and workmates,” AVA president Mark Lawrie said. “Unfortunately this problem is not going to go away. “We hope that answers can be found so that we never have to mourn the loss of another colleague to Hendra.”...The Australian.