# Integrating Prevention and Response at the Crossroads of Henipavirus Preparedness, Hendra@30 Conference, 2024

## TL;DR

This paper discusses a conference on henipaviruses like Hendra and Nipah, highlighting efforts to improve prevention and response strategies through interdisciplinary research.

## Contribution

The paper proposes integrating bat ecology into henipavirus research to develop ecologic prevention strategies.

## Key findings

- The Hendra@30 conference expanded interdisciplinary research on henipaviruses.
- Integrating bat ecology could prevent spillover and complement existing response efforts.
- Four key elements advanced research and medical countermeasures for henipaviruses.

## Abstract

Diseases caused by henipaviruses, exemplified by Hendra virus and Nipah virus, pose a serious risk to public health because of their epidemic potential and high case-fatality rates and the paucity of medical countermeasures to mitigate them. In December 2024, a group of 150 scientists from 16 countries convened in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, to mark the 30th anniversary of the discovery of Hendra virus. The Hendra@30 conference built upon its predecessor conference held in 2019 in Singapore, Nipah@20, by expanding its program across broader disciplines and integrating sessions on human sociology and disease ecology into the main scientific discussions. We describe key highlights from Hendra@30 and reflect on 4 key elements that have advanced henipavirus research and medical countermeasures research and development. We propose that integrating bat ecology into henipavirus research blueprints will enable development of ecologic countermeasures that prevent spillover and will complement existing preparedness and response efforts with evidence-based prevention strategies.