Circulation of 2 Barmah Forest Virus Lineages in Military Training Areas, Australia

Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Dec;26(12):3061-3065. doi: 10.3201/eid2612.191747.

Abstract

During 2017-2018, Barmah Forest virus was recovered from mosquitoes trapped in military training areas in Australia and from a soldier infected at 1 of these areas. Phylogenies of the nucleotide sequences of the envelope glycoprotein gene E2 and the 3' untranslated region suggest that 2 lineages are circulating in eastern Australia.

Keywords: Australia; Australian military; Barmah Forest virus; Togaviridae; alphaviruses; arboviruses; genetic sequencing; mosquito-borne diseases; phylogenies; reverse transcription PCR; vector-borne infections; viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Alphavirus* / genetics
  • Animals
  • Arboviruses*
  • Australia / epidemiology
  • Culicidae*
  • Humans
  • Military Personnel*