A curious coincidence: mosquito biodiversity and the limits of the Japanese encephalitis virus in Australasia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The mosquito Culex annulirostris Skuse (Diptera: Culicidae) is the major vector of endemic arboviruses in Australia and is also responsible for the establishment of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in southern Papua New Guinea (PNG) as well as its incursions into northern Australia. Papua New Guinea and mainland Australia are separated by a small stretch of water, the Torres Strait, and its islands. While there has been regular JEV activity on these islands, JEV has not established on mainland Australia despite an abundance of Cx. annulirostris and porcine amplifying hosts. Despite the public health significance of this mosquito and the fact that its adults show overlapping morphology with close relative Cx. palpalis Taylor, its evolution and genetic structure remai

SUBMITTER: Hemmerter S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1939988 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature