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EPIZOOTIC ACTIVITY OF MURRAY VALLEY ENCEPHALITIS AND KUNJIN VIRUSES IN AN ABORIGINAL COMMUNITY IN THE SOUTHEAST KIMBERLEY REGION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA: RESULTS OF MOSQUITO FAUNA AND VIRUS ISOLATION STUDIES

We undertook annual surveys of flavivirus virus activity in the community of Billiluna of Western Australia in the southeast Kimberley region between 1989 and 2001. Culex annulirostris was the dominant mosquito species, particularly in years of above average rains and flooding. Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus was isolated in 8 of the 13 years of the study from seven mosquito species, but more than 90% of the isolates were from Cx. annulirostris. The results suggest that MVE virus is epizootic in the region, with activity only apparent in years with average or above average rainfall and increased numbers of Cx. annulirostris. High levels of MVE virus activity and associated human cases were detected only once (in 1993) during the survey period. Activity of MVE virus could only be partially correlated with wet season rainfall and flooding, suggesting that a number of other factors must also be considered to accurately predict MVE virus activity at such communities.

Received December 19, 2002. Accepted for publication June 6, 2003.

Acknowledgments: We thank the Traditional Owners of the Billiluna community who allowed us to visit their community during the study period. We acknowledge the community for their ongoing support of the Arbovirus program in Western Australia and for kindly allowing us to use the name of their community in this article. We also thank Steven Crocker, Rosa Duthie, Brenda van Huezen, Sarah Vetten, and Kerryn Sturrock for their technical assistance, Cheryl Johansen for producing the map (Figure 1), and Professor Richard Russell for comments on the manuscript.

Financial support: This study was supported by the Western Australian Department of Health.

Authors’ addresses: Annette K. Broom, Arbovirus Surveillance and Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia 6907, Australia, Telephone: 61-8-9346-2213, Fax: 61-8-9346-2912, E-mail: abroom{at}cyllene.uwa.edu.au. Michael D. A. Lindsay, Mosquito-Borne Disease Control, Western Australian Department of Health, PO Box 8172, Perth Business Center, Perth, Western Australia 6849, Australia, Telephone: 61-8-9385-6001, Fax: 61-8-9383-1819. Anthony E. Wright, 139 Chowan Creek Road, Uki, New South Wales 2484, Australia, Telephone: 61-2-6679-4224. David W. Smith, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, The Western Australian Center for Pathology and Medical Research, The Queen Elizabeth II Medical Center, Hospital Avenue, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia, Telephone: 61-8-9346-2164, Fax: 61-9-8346-3960. John S. Mackenzie, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia, Telephone: 61-7-3365-4648, Fax: 61-7-3365-6265.

Reprint requests: Annette K. Broom, Arbovirus Surveillance and Research Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, University of Western Australia, L Block, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia 6907, Australia.