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Northern Territory, and possibly parts of the Pilbara, have been ‘seeded’ with virus which could result in epizootic activity when appropriate environmental conditions occur. Our conclusions could have important health implications as the population in north-western Australia increases through intensive agriculture, mining, service industries and tourism and, in the longer term, through possible effects of climate change (Mackenzie et al. 1993b; Lindsay and Mackenzie 1997). Furthermore, increased virus activity could be exacerbated as new irrigation areas are developed in the Wyndham–East Kimberley shire and the adjacent part of the Northern Territory. Finally, there is little doubt that the profound ecological changes resulting from the establishment of the Ord River irrigation area have provided ideal conditions for increased arboviral activity. These conditions are also suitable for other exotic arboviruses, such as Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya viruses, and exotic mosquito vectors, such as Aedes albopictus. Indeed an unusual strain of MVE has been isolated from the Ord River area, which was believed to have been introduced from the Indonesian archipelago (Mackenzie et al. 1991). Further-more, the recent incursion of Japanese encephalitis virus into islands in the Torres Strait and Cape York, and its possible enzootic presence in the south of Papua New Guinea, provide additional cause for concern. It is therefore essential that monitoring and surveillance of mosquitoes and arboviruses is continued so that exotic virus or vector incursions can be rapidly detected. Acknowledgments We would like to thank our many colleagues who have contributed to these studies of MVE virus activity in the north-west of Western Australia. We would also like to acknowledge the support of the Health Department of Western Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council, and the Commonwealth Department of Health. References
DOI link for Northern Territory, and possibly parts of the Pilbara, have been ‘seeded’ with virus which could result in epizootic activity when appropriate environmental conditions occur. Our conclusions could have important health implications as the population in north-western Australia increases through intensive agriculture, mining, service industries and tourism and, in the longer term, through possible effects of climate change (Mackenzie et al. 1993b; Lindsay and Mackenzie 1997). Furthermore, increased virus activity could be exacerbated as new irrigation areas are developed in the Wyndham–East Kimberley shire and the adjacent part of the Northern Territory. Finally, there is little doubt that the profound ecological changes resulting from the establishment of the Ord River irrigation area have provided ideal conditions for increased arboviral activity. These conditions are also suitable for other exotic arboviruses, such as Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya viruses, and exotic mosquito vectors, such as Aedes albopictus. Indeed an unusual strain of MVE has been isolated from the Ord River area, which was believed to have been introduced from the Indonesian archipelago (Mackenzie et al. 1991). Further-more, the recent incursion of Japanese encephalitis virus into islands in the Torres Strait and Cape York, and its possible enzootic presence in the south of Papua New Guinea, provide additional cause for concern. It is therefore essential that monitoring and surveillance of mosquitoes and arboviruses is continued so that exotic virus or vector incursions can be rapidly detected. Acknowledgments We would like to thank our many colleagues who have contributed to these studies of MVE virus activity in the north-west of Western Australia. We would also like to acknowledge the support of the Health Department of Western Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council, and the Commonwealth Department of Health. References
Northern Territory, and possibly parts of the Pilbara, have been ‘seeded’ with virus which could result in epizootic activity when appropriate environmental conditions occur. Our conclusions could have important health implications as the population in north-western Australia increases through intensive agriculture, mining, service industries and tourism and, in the longer term, through possible effects of climate change (Mackenzie et al. 1993b; Lindsay and Mackenzie 1997). Furthermore, increased virus activity could be exacerbated as new irrigation areas are developed in the Wyndham–East Kimberley shire and the adjacent part of the Northern Territory. Finally, there is little doubt that the profound ecological changes resulting from the establishment of the Ord River irrigation area have provided ideal conditions for increased arboviral activity. These conditions are also suitable for other exotic arboviruses, such as Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya viruses, and exotic mosquito vectors, such as Aedes albopictus. Indeed an unusual strain of MVE has been isolated from the Ord River area, which was believed to have been introduced from the Indonesian archipelago (Mackenzie et al. 1991). Further-more, the recent incursion of Japanese encephalitis virus into islands in the Torres Strait and Cape York, and its possible enzootic presence in the south of Papua New Guinea, provide additional cause for concern. It is therefore essential that monitoring and surveillance of mosquitoes and arboviruses is continued so that exotic virus or vector incursions can be rapidly detected. Acknowledgments We would like to thank our many colleagues who have contributed to these studies of MVE virus activity in the north-west of Western Australia. We would also like to acknowledge the support of the Health Department of Western Australia and the National Health and Medical Research Council, and the Commonwealth Department of Health. References
ABSTRACT