Isolation of Murray Valley encephalitis virus and other arboviruses in the Ord River Valley 1972-1976

This paper summarizes the isolation of arboviruses from mosquitoes collected in the Ord Valley between 1972 and 1976. A total of one hundred and ninety five strains of at least fifteen antigenically distinct viruses have been isolated. Seven of these isolates appear to be "new' antigenic types, and several are undergoing further testing. These are three new rhabdoviruses (Kununurra [OR194], a virus provisionally named Kimberley [OR250] and OR189 [provisionally named Parry's Creek]), three ungrouped, non-haemagglutinating viruses (OR379, OR512, OR869) and a virus (OR540) which reacts to Poly Anopheles A world grouping fluid. The remaining viruses have been previously identified in Australia. These include Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE), Kunjin, Kokobera, Sindbis, Koongol, Wongal, Wongorr and a virus in the Corriparta serological group. The most important finding of these studies is that MVE displays as annually recurrent pattern of activity with a peak seasonal transmission rate at the end of the wet monsoon. This is the first definition of a probable endemic focus of MVE activity in Australia. The major vector for the majority of the viruses isolated was, by inference, Culex annulirostris. However, Aedeomyia catasticta was implicated as a major vector of the Corriparta group virus.