Published recently in the journal PLoS Pathogens, a report reveals that researchers from CSIRO have found a bacterium in bats, which is a close relative of the worldwide known Hendra and Nipah viruses.

The scientists say that the news is not dangerous, rather a good one. Since, the virus discovered recently at a region of Queensland has been found to be a cousin, but opposite in nature to the two. It is being said that the virus 'Cedar' does not cause any kind of illness in those animals that are affected by Hendra and Nipah generally.

Instead, the bacterium' effects may prove beneficial in making people as well as animals fight the other two henipaviruses. The team working at Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong, Victoria, says that it would probably help in understanding Hendra and Nipah, thereby revealing ways to control and prevent their outbreaks.

Besides, according to the team, the findings may also act as a life-saving measure for export trade. "Bats are being implicated as the natural host of a number of viruses in Australia and overseas, yet they appear to tolerate infection themselves making bat research increasingly important", says Biosecurity Queensland's Dr. Hume Field.