Virulence and evolution of West Nile virus, Australia, 1960-2012
Date
2016
Authors
Prow, N.A.
Edmonds, J.H.
Williams, D.T.
Setoh, Y.X.
Bielefeldt Ohmann, H.
Suen, W.W.
Hobson Peters, J.
van den Hurk, A.F.
Pyke, A.T.
Hall Mendelin, S.
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Journal article
Citation
Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2016; 22(8):1353-1362
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Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) causes encephalitis in humans, horses, and birds. The Kunjin strain of WNV (WNVKUN) is endemic to northern Australia, but infections are usually asymptomatic. In 2011, an unprecedented outbreak of equine encephalitis occurred in southeastern Australia; most of the ≈900 reported cases were attributed to a newly emerged WNVKUN strain. To investigate the origins of this virus, we performed genetic analysis and in vitro and in vivo studies of 13 WNVKUN isolates collected from different regions of Australia during 1960-2012. Although no disease was recorded for 1984, 2000, or 2012, isolates collected during those years (from Victoria, Queensland, and New South Wales, respectively) exhibited levels of virulence in mice similar to that of the 2011 outbreak strain. Thus, virulent strains of WNVKUN have circulated in Australia for ≥ 30 years, and the first extensive outbreak of equine disease in Australia probably resulted from a combination of specific ecologic and epidemiologic conditions.
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Copyright 2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Emerging Infectious Diseases is an open access journal in the public domain. All content is freely available without charge to the user or his/her institution. Materials published in EID, including text, figures, tables, and photographs, can be reprinted or reused although the journal requests a proper citation be included for its content and users clearly indicate what, if any, changes have been made (https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/about)