Feb 2022: Japanese encephalitis was detected and confirmed in piggeries in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales, and on 4 March, cases were detected in South Australia.
Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause reproductive losses and encephalitis in pigs and horses. In rare cases, Japanese encephalitis can cause disease in people. The normal lifecycle of Japanese encephalitis is between waterbirds and mosquitos, which may then spill over to pigs and horses. Animals and people become infected through the bite of infected mosquitoes. See outbreak.gov.au.
Japanese encephalitis virus is a nationally notifiable diseases which means if you suspect an animal is showing signs of the diseases, you must report it. You can do this by contacting your local veterinarian or simply call the national Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
More information:
The role of waterbirds in Australia’s 2022 Japanese Encephalitis outbreak
- This report was prepared by BirdLife Australia on behalf of Wildlife Health Australia for the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)
- Summary: The unexpected emergence and spread of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in Australia in 2022 prompted DAFF and WHA to begin investigations into the wildlife origins and mechanisms of spread of the virus. Given the role of waterbirds as primary hosts of JEV, WHA facilitated a meeting of national and regional waterbird ecologists to identify data and information that could contribute to biosecurity and health planning response to the current and future JEV threats. This report builds on the initial engagement provided by the waterbird expert workshop and further investigates the potential role of waterbirds in the 2022 outbreak.
- Citation: Purnell, C (2022). The role of waterbirds in Australia’s 2022 Japanese Encephalitis outbreak – a rapid synthesis. BirdLife Australia, Carlton.
See also: WHA Japanese Encephalitis Virus Notification Document