Transmissibility from horses to humans of a novel paramyxovirus, equine morbillivirus (EMV).

OBJECTIVES: Determination of potential infectivity of a new paramyxovirus equine morbillivirus (EMV) from horses to humans and humans to humans as a result of two outbreaks in Queensland which involved 23 horses and three humans. METHODS: Seroepidemiological testing using neutralizing and immunofluorescing antibodies on people with variable levels of exposure to infected horses and humans. RESULTS: All serological testing on a total of 298 individual contacts was negative. CONCLUSIONS: While the three human cases of EMV were probably infected as a result of very close contact with horses, these data suggest that infectivity from horses or humans is very low.