Ross River virus activity along the south coast of New South Wales.
Abstract: The sera of 468 blood donors and 63 domestic animals, collected from the south coast of New South Wales, were tested for the presence of antibodies to Ross River virus. Antibodies were detected in 7% of human sera, 25% of cow sera and 65% of horse sera. Using the blood donors as 'human sentinels', seroconversions were demonstrated in two donors from the Nowra-Kiama region and from a patient in the same area; none of the three had been outside of the study area during the period of seroconversion or at the time of infection. Of the 15 seropositive horses, 6 (40%) had lived continuously since birth on the farms on which they were bled. That humans and horses were infected with Ross River and not a related alphavirus was shown by microneutralization tests against Ross River virus and the other two alpha-viruses (Getah, Sindbis) known to occur in Australia.
Publication Date: 1982-12-01 PubMed ID: 6303286DOI: 10.1038/icb.1982.71Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigated the presence of the Ross River virus, a mosquito-borne disease, in the south coast of New South Wales based on tests done on human and animal sera. It found that 7% of human sera, 25% of cow sera, and 65% of horse sera had antibodies to this virus.
Methodology
- The study worked with the sera of 468 blood donors and 63 domestic animals, which were taken from the south coast of New South Wales.
- The sera were assessed to determine the presence of Ross River virus antibodies. The identification of such antibodies would indicate a prior infection, and thus exposure to the virus.
Findings
- The results showed that antibodies to the Ross River virus existed in 7% of human samples, 25% of cow samples, and a significant 65% of horse samples.
- Humans and horses were found to be infected with the virus. Tests demonstrated that two human blood donors and a patient from the Nowra-Kiama region had undergone seroconversion – an indication of an active infection.
- Of the seropositive horses, 40% had never left the farms where they were bled, suggesting the virus circulates in the local mosquito population.
Verification of the Findings
- The study was careful to eliminate the possibility that the infections could be due to related alphaviruses, Getah and Sindbis, known to occur in Australia.
- To ensure this, the research team used microneutralization tests against the Ross River virus and the other two alpha-viruses.
- The tests confirmed that the infections were resulting from the Ross River virus and not the Getah or Sindbis viruses.
Implications
- This research confirms the presence of the Ross River virus in the south coast of New South Wales. The fact that some infected individuals had not left the study area indicates local transmission of the virus.
- The study’s findings suggest that there could be an established cycle of transmission involving mosquitoes and mammalian hosts in this region.
- The high percentage of horses carrying antibodies to the virus shows that they could play a significant role as sentinels or amplifiers of the virus, making them an important focus for future surveillance and prevention strategies.
Cite This Article
APA
Cloonan MJ, O'Neill BJ, Vale TG, Carter IW, Williams JE.
(1982).
Ross River virus activity along the south coast of New South Wales.
Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci, 60(6), 701-706.
https://doi.org/10.1038/icb.1982.71 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Adult
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
- Arthritis, Infectious / epidemiology
- Arthritis, Infectious / etiology
- Arthritis, Infectious / immunology
- Australia
- Cattle
- Horses
- Humans
- Ross River virus / immunology
- Togaviridae Infections / complications
- Togaviridae Infections / epidemiology
- Togaviridae Infections / immunology
Citations
This article has been cited 5 times.- Madzokere ET, Qian W, Webster JA, Walker DMH, Lim EXY, Harley D, Herrero LJ. Human Seroprevalence for Dengue, Ross River, and Barmah Forest viruses in Australia and the Pacific: A systematic review spanning seven decades.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022 Apr;16(4):e0010314.
- Yuen KY, Bielefeldt-Ohmann H. Ross River Virus Infection: A Cross-Disciplinary Review with a Veterinary Perspective.. Pathogens 2021 Mar 17;10(3).
- Rawle DJ, Nguyen W, Dumenil T, Parry R, Warrilow D, Tang B, Le TT, Slonchak A, Khromykh AA, Lutzky VP, Yan K, Suhrbier A. Sequencing of Historical Isolates, K-mer Mining and High Serological Cross-Reactivity with Ross River Virus Argue against the Presence of Getah Virus in Australia.. Pathogens 2020 Oct 16;9(10).
- Gyawali N, Taylor-Robinson AW, Bradbury RS, Huggins DW, Hugo LE, Lowry K, Aaskov JG. Identification of the source of blood meals in mosquitoes collected from north-eastern Australia.. Parasit Vectors 2019 May 3;12(1):198.
- Harley D, Sleigh A, Ritchie S. Ross River virus transmission, infection, and disease: a cross-disciplinary review.. Clin Microbiol Rev 2001 Oct;14(4):909-32, table of contents.
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