Abstract
Ross River virus (RRV) infection is a debilitating disease that has a significant impact on population health, economic productivity, and tourism in Australia. This study examined epidemiologic patterns of RRV disease in Queensland, Australia, during January 2001–December 2011 at a statistical local area level. Spatio-temporal analyses were used to identify the patterns of the disease distribution over time stratified by age, sex, and space. The results show that the mean annual incidence was 54 per 100,000 persons, with a male:female ratio of 1:1.1. Two space-time clusters were identified: the areas adjacent to Townsville, on the eastern coast of Queensland, and the southeast areas. Thus, although public health intervention should be considered across all areas in which RRV occurs, it should specifically focus on high-risk regions, particularly during summer and autumn to reduce the social and economic impacts of RRV infection.
Highlights
Ross River virus (RRV) disease is the most widely spread mosquito-borne disease in Australia
This study examined epidemiologic patterns of RRV disease in Queensland, Australia, during January 2001–December 2011 at a statistical local area level
Public health intervention should be considered across all areas in which RRV occurs, it should focus on highrisk regions, during summer and autumn to reduce the social and economic impacts of RRV infection
Summary
Ross River virus (RRV) disease is the most widely spread mosquito-borne disease in Australia. In 2011, RRV infection accounted for 63% (5,149) of all reported mosquito-borne disease notifications.[1] The notifications from Queensland accounted for 23% of all RRV cases in Australia.[1]. Ross River virus is an alphavirus that was first identified at Townsville in northern Queensland in 1959.2 This virus causes a non-fatal, but prolonged and debilitating disease known as epidemic polyarthritis or RRV disease. The epidemiology of RRV disease is complex because transmission cycles are driven by various mosquito species and vertebrate hosts within a variety of disparate geoclimatic regions.[3,4,5] More than 40 mosquito species have been implicated as vectors of RRV.[5,6] Currently, there is no vaccination and specific treatment for RRV disease.[7]
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