Japanese encephalitis, a deadly mosquito-borne virus, affects the youngest patients throughout Australia at the age of four months. So far, 18 people have been infected. Two men have died.
Japanese encephalitis is a brain disease. Severe cases are rare, and experts say that less than 1% of people infected with a mosquito-borne virus experience symptoms. However, they are serious and can have lifelong side effects, including speech and movement disorders.
However, most people do not know that they are infected, but others can get a mild flu-like illness.
Japanese encephalitis is endemic in most of Asia and parts of the Pacific Ocean, but authorities do not know how it arrived in Australia.
The outbreak was common in northern Australia in the 1990s, and scientists said it had been detected since then during the Southern Hemisphere summer.
However, the outbreak in southern Australia is unprecedented.
The movement of waterfowl is thought to bring the virus to new areas. Raised pigs are called “amp hosts” that carry the virus. It spreads when a mosquito bites an infected bird or pig, or bites a person. It is not considered possible to communicate from person to person.
Dr. David Williams is the leader of the Diagnostic Group of the Institute for Emergency Diseases, Australian Center for Disease Preparation.
“For the first time, and this is truly unprecedented, we will probably see this very large outbreak in southeastern Australia, southeastern Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria. I think it’s supported by the prevailing climatic conditions in South Australia last season, “Williams said. “It brought some of the generally moist conditions (and) of the floods we saw in some parts, and it really supported mosquito breeding grounds, but also in the southeast. Those moist areas attracted waterfowl, so mobile waterfowl are attracted to waterways and, when they occur, can carry the virus. “
The government recently purchased 130,000 doses of Japanese encephalitis vaccine from a supplier in the Australian market for risky communities. We also spend millions of dollars advising Australians on how to avoid mosquito bites and eradication.
Dengue and Ross River Fever, which can cause severe arthritis and muscle aches, are other mosquito-borne infections in Australia.
Malaria was declared eradicated from Australia in 1981. Up to 800 cases are reported each year, and travelers are infected elsewhere.
