Vet who treated Hendra horse 'critical'

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A VETERINARIAN who treated a horse that died from the Hendra virus is in a critical condition in hospital, the horse's owner says.

Queensland Health said one of the four people treated for five days at the Rockhampton Hospital with the anti-viral drug Ribavirin was admitted to another hospital on Wednesday.

The owner of the central Queensland stud where two dead horses tested positive to the virus, John Brady, confirmed to AAP the person readmitted to hospital was the vet who treated one of his infected horses before it died.

He said the vet was transferred to a Brisbane hospital after his condition deteriorated.

"He's been admitted into the Princess Alexandra Hospital (in Brisbane) to be monitored," Mr Brady said.

"It's devastating for all of us. He's in a critical condition.

"I'm going to have a meeting with all of my staff to discuss their symptoms and whether they too should go to the PA."

Three of the six people who have contracted the virus since it was discovered in 1994 have died.

Two horses died at the J4S stud at Cawarral, north east of Rockhampton, on August 7 and 8 from the virus. Another which died on July 28 is suspected of having the disease.

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