Ross River Virus Disease Reemergence, Fiji, 2003–2004

Philipp Klapsing,J Dick Maclean,Sarah Glaze,Karen L Mcclean,Robert S Lanciotti,Grant L Campbell,Michael A Drebot

doi:10.3201/eid1104.041070

Abstract

We report 2 clinically characteristic and serologically positive cases of Ross River virus infection in Canadian tourists who visited Fiji in late 2003 and early 2004. This report suggests that Ross River virus is once again circulating in Fiji, where it apparently disappeared after causing an epidemic in 1979 to 1980.

Highlights

We report 2 clinically characteristic and serologically positive cases of Ross River virus infection in Canadian tourists who visited Fiji in late 2003 and early 2004
We report 2 recent apparent cases of Ross River virus disease (“epidemic polyarthritis”) in Canadian travelers to Fiji, ≈1,000 miles from the region (Australia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands) where the virus is endemic, enzootic, and often epidemic [1]
In 1979, Ross River virus spread dramatically to the South Pacific islands, including Fiji, American Samoa, Wallis and the Cook Islands, causing the largest Ross

Summary

Introduction

We report 2 clinically characteristic and serologically positive cases of Ross River virus infection in Canadian tourists who visited Fiji in late 2003 and early 2004. We report 2 recent apparent cases of Ross River virus disease (“epidemic polyarthritis”) in Canadian travelers to Fiji, ≈1,000 miles from the region (Australia, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands) where the virus is endemic, enzootic, and often epidemic [1].

Results

Conclusion