OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview and descriptive analysis of the 2011 arboviral disease epidemic in horses that involved three important Australian mosquito-borne viruses: Murray Valley encephalitis virus, West Nile virus (Kunjin strain) and Ross River virus. METHODS: Data from states affected between January and June 2011 were collated and comprised reports of horses showing signs of neuromuscular disease and the associated laboratory findings. A summary of the data is presented, together with a spatiotemporal analysis of cases and preliminary assessment of rainfall patterns and case distribution. RESULTS: A total of 982 cases of equine arboviral disease were reported across Australia between January and June 2011. The majority of cases were reported from south-east Australia and included horses that developed neurological signs consistent with encephalitis. It was the largest epidemic of equine arboviral disease in Australia's history. Two likely causes for this unprecedented epidemic were the unusual weather events that preceded the epidemic and the emergence of a new strain of Kunjin virus. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemic highlights to horse owners and policy makers the potential for future outbreaks of arboviral diseases and the need for vigilance. It also highlights the complex interactions among hosts, vectors and climatic conditions that are required for such an outbreak to occur.
OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview and descriptive analysis of the 2011 arboviral disease epidemic in horses that involved three important Australian mosquito-borne viruses: Murray Valley encephalitis virus, West Nile virus (Kunjin strain) and Ross River virus. METHODS: Data from states affected between January and June 2011 were collated and comprised reports of horses showing signs of neuromuscular disease and the associated laboratory findings. A summary of the data is presented, together with a spatiotemporal analysis of cases and preliminary assessment of rainfall patterns and case distribution. RESULTS: A total of 982 cases of equinearboviral disease were reported across Australia between January and June 2011. The majority of cases were reported from south-east Australia and included horses that developed neurological signs consistent with encephalitis. It was the largest epidemic of equinearboviral disease in Australia's history. Two likely causes for this unprecedented epidemic were the unusual weather events that preceded the epidemic and the emergence of a new strain of Kunjin virus. CONCLUSIONS: The epidemic highlights to horse owners and policy makers the potential for future outbreaks of arboviral diseases and the need for vigilance. It also highlights the complex interactions among hosts, vectors and climatic conditions that are required for such an outbreak to occur.
Authors: Natalie A Prow; Yin X Setoh; Rebecca M Biron; David P Sester; Kwang Sik Kim; Jody Hobson-Peters; Roy A Hall; Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann Journal: J Virol Date: 2014-06-18 Impact factor: 5.103
Authors: Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann; Natalie A Prow; Wenqi Wang; Cindy S E Tan; Mitchell Coyle; Alysha Douma; Jody Hobson-Peters; Lisa Kidd; Roy A Hall; Nikolai Petrovsky Journal: Vet Res Date: 2014-12-17 Impact factor: 3.683
Authors: Natalie A Prow; Elise K Hewlett; Helen M Faddy; Flaminia Coiacetto; Wenqi Wang; Tarnya Cox; Roy A Hall; Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2014-09-17
Authors: Natalie A Prow; Cindy S E Tan; Wenqi Wang; Jody Hobson-Peters; Lisa Kidd; Anita Barton; John Wright; Roy A Hall; Helle Bielefeldt-Ohmann Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2013-09-17 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Linda A Selvey; Lynne Dailey; Michael Lindsay; Paul Armstrong; Sean Tobin; Ann P Koehler; Peter G Markey; David W Smith Journal: PLoS Negl Trop Dis Date: 2014-01-23