Which of the following species is considered the reservoir species for Hendra virus?

• A. Humans
• B. Flying foxes
• C. Guinea pigs
• D. Cats

Answer: (B)

The essential concept is identifying the natural reservoir host—the species that maintains the virus in nature and serves as the long-term source of infection. For Hendra virus, flying foxes (fruit bats of the genus Pteropus) are the natural reservoir. These bats carry and shed the virus in urine, saliva, and birth fluids, allowing the virus to persist in bat populations and spill over to other species, especially horses, and sometimes to humans. Other animals, like humans, guinea pigs, or cats, can become infected but do not maintain the virus in the environment or transmit it sustainably, so they are not reservoir hosts. Therefore, the correct identification is flying foxes.