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Home / Equine Research Bank / Emerg Infect Dis / Characterization of Fitzroy River Virus and Serologic Eviden...
Emerging infectious diseases2017; 23(8); 1289-1299; doi: 10.3201/eid2308.161440

Characterization of Fitzroy River Virus and Serologic Evidence of Human and Animal Infection.

Abstract: In northern Western Australia in 2011 and 2012, surveillance detected a novel arbovirus in mosquitoes. Genetic and phenotypic analyses confirmed that the new flavivirus, named Fitzroy River virus, is related to Sepik virus and Wesselsbron virus, in the yellow fever virus group. Most (81%) isolates came from Aedes normanensis mosquitoes, providing circumstantial evidence of the probable vector. In cell culture, Fitzroy River virus replicated in mosquito (C6/36), mammalian (Vero, PSEK, and BSR), and avian (DF-1) cells. It also infected intraperitoneally inoculated weanling mice and caused mild clinical disease in 3 intracranially inoculated mice. Specific neutralizing antibodies were detected in sentinel horses (12.6%), cattle (6.6%), and chickens (0.5%) in the Northern Territory of Australia and in a subset of humans (0.8%) from northern Western Australia.
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Publication Date: 2017-07-21 PubMed ID: 28726621PubMed Central: PMC5547785DOI: 10.3201/eid2308.161440Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article is about the detection and study of a new virus, the Fitzroy River virus, in northern Western Australia, highlighting evidence of its presence within various animal species and humans.

Discovery of the Fitzroy River Virus

  • The Fitzroy River virus was discovered in northern Western Australia during surveillance activities in 2011 and 2012.
  • The newly discovered virus was detected in mosquitoes, and genetic and phenotypic analyses confirmed it as a new flavivirus.
  • The Fitzroy River virus was found to be related to the Sepik virus and Wesselsbron virus, which both belong to the yellow fever virus group.
  • Most (81%) of the isolates of the virus came from Aedes normanensis mosquitoes. This provides circumstantial evidence that this mosquito species might be the vector transmitting the virus.

Study of the Fitzroy River Virus

  • The researchers conducted studies of the Fitzroy River virus using various types of cells to understand its behavior.
  • The virus was found to replicate in mosquito (C6/36), mammalian (Vero, PSEK, and BSR), and avian (DF-1) cells in the laboratory, showing that it can infect various types of hosts.
  • Intentional infection of weanling mice through intraperitoneal inoculation also resulted in replication of the virus and mild clinical disease was seen in 3 mice that were infected intracranially.

Evidence of Fitzroy River Virus in Animals and Humans

  • As part of their research, the team also investigated the presence of specific neutralizing antibodies to the Fitzroy River virus in animal and human populations.
  • The presence of these antibodies indicates previous exposure to the virus and was detected in sentinel horses (12.6%), cattle (6.6%), and chickens (0.5%) in the Northern Territory of Australia.
  • Moreover, the researchers found evidence of these antibodies in a subset of humans (0.8%) from northern Western Australia, suggesting that the virus has infected humans.

Cite This Article

APA
Johansen CA, Williams SH, Melville LF, Nicholson J, Hall RA, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H, Prow NA, Chidlow GR, Wong S, Sinha R, Williams DT, Lipkin WI, Smith DW. (2017). Characterization of Fitzroy River Virus and Serologic Evidence of Human and Animal Infection. Emerg Infect Dis, 23(8), 1289-1299. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2308.161440

Publication

Emerging infectious diseases
ISSN: 1080-6059
NlmUniqueID: 9508155
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 23
Issue: 8
Pages: 1289-1299

Researcher Affiliations

Johansen, Cheryl A
    Williams, Simon H
      Melville, Lorna F
        Nicholson, Jay
          Hall, Roy A
            Bielefeldt-Ohmann, Helle
              Prow, Natalie A
                Chidlow, Glenys R
                  Wong, Shani
                    Sinha, Rohini
                      Williams, David T
                        Lipkin, W Ian
                          Smith, David W

                            MeSH Terms

                            • Aedes / virology
                            • Animals
                            • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
                            • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
                            • Australia / epidemiology
                            • Flavivirus / classification
                            • Flavivirus / isolation & purification
                            • Flavivirus / physiology
                            • Flavivirus Infections / epidemiology
                            • Flavivirus Infections / immunology
                            • Flavivirus Infections / transmission
                            • Flavivirus Infections / virology
                            • Genome, Viral
                            • Humans
                            • Mice
                            • Phylogeny
                            • Recombination, Genetic
                            • United States / epidemiology
                            • Virulence
                            • Virus Replication
                            • Whole Genome Sequencing

                            Grant Funding

                            • U19 AI109761 / NIAID NIH HHS

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