VETS, horse owners and wildlife handlers have been told they must take a lead role in preventing further outbreaks of the deadly Hendra virus.
Human cases of the Hendra virus are rare, but potentially fatal.
Four of the seven people known to have contracted it - all in Australia - have died.
Authorities say the virus is common in flying foxes, who in rare cases can pass it on to horses.
In a very small number of cases, sick horses have in turn infected humans - with devastating consequences.
Dr Stephen Prowse, chief executive of the Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease, said there were no known cases of people contracting the Hendra virus directly from flying foxes.
He said anyone dealing with horses and flying foxes had critical roles to play in reducing the risk of more human cases.
Efforts must centre on minimising contact between flying foxes and horses, and horse owners and vets needed to improve their biosecurity and infection control practices, he said.
Professor Rick Speare, the director of the Anton Breinl Centre for Public Health and Tropical Medicine at James Cook University, has recommended improvements in infection control amongst vets and animal handlers.
"It is important that equine vets take the lead in implementing infection control in their day to day activities," Prof Speare said.
"Although Hendra virus infection is rare, the effects if someone gets infected are catastrophic. We have to make equine practice safe so spillovers don't occur again."
Prof Speare is now working with the Australian Veterinary Association, Biosecurity Queensland, Equine Veterinarians Australia and Queensland Workplace Health and Safety to help vets develop feasible infection control strategies.
The AVA is currently developing improved biosecurity guidelines and the departments of agriculture and primary industries are holding workshops on personal and farm biosecurity.
The last fatality from the Hendra virus was Queensland veterinarian Dr Alister Rodgers in September 2009.
The name Hendra reflects the name of the Brisbane suburb where the disease was first detected in 1994.
