Isolation of Murray Valley encephalitis and Ross River viruses from Aedes normanensis (Diptera: Culicidae) in Western Australia

Abstract

Of eight viruses isolated from 28,909 female (643 pools) Aedes normanensis collected from the north of Western Australia, two were identified as Murray Valley encephalitis virus and six as Ross River virus. The two isolates of Murray Valley encephalitis virus represent the first confirmed isolations of this virus from an Aedes species. The possible implications of these findings with regard to virus survival mechanisms during the dry season are discussed.