Medical and Veterinary Entomology (2004) 18, 281-287

C.A. Johansen, D.J. Nisbet, P.N. Foley, A.F. van den Hurk, R.A. Hall, J.S. Mackenzie and S.A. Ritchie (2004)
Flavivirus isolations from mosquitoes collected from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait, Australia, during an incursion of Japanese encephalitis virus
Medical and Veterinary Entomology 18 (3), 281-287
Abstract: Adult mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) were collected in January and February 2000 from Saibai Island in the Torres Strait of northern Australia, and processed for arbovirus isolation during a period of Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus activity on nearby Badu Island. A total of 84 210 mosquitoes were processed for virus isolation, yielding six flavivirus isolates. Viruses obtained were single isolates of JE and Kokobera (KOK) and four of Kunjin (KUN). All virus isolates were from members of the Culex sitiens Weidemann subgroup, which comprised 53.1% of mosquitoes processed. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the pre-membrane region of the genome of JE isolate TS5313 indicated that it was closely related to other isolates from a sentinel pig and a pool of Cx. gelidus Theobald from Badu Island during the same period. Also molecular analyses of part of the envelope gene of KUN virus isolates showed that they were closely related to other KUN virus strains from Cape York Peninsula. The results indicate that flaviviruses are dynamic in the area, and suggest patterns of movement south from New Guinea and north from the Australian mainland.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Cheryl Johansen, Scott A. Ritchie

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
surveys/sampling/distribution
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Culex sitiens		Australia (NT+QLD)