1/15. Determination of natural versus laboratory human infection with Mayaro virus by molecular analysis. A laboratory worker developed clinical signs of infection with Mayaro virus (togaviridae), an arbovirus of South and central america, 6 days after preparation of Mayaro viral antigen and 10 days after a trip to a rain forest. There was no evidence of skin lesions during the antigen preparation, and level 3 containment safety measures were followed. Therefore, molecular characterization of the virus was undertaken to identify the source of infection. RT-PCR and dna sequence comparisons proved the infection was with the laboratory strain. Airborne Mayaro virus contamination is thus a hazard to laboratory personnel. ( info) |
2/15. Isolation of Kunjin virus from a patient with a naturally acquired infection. OBJECTIVE: To describe the first isolation of Kunjin virus from a patient with a natural infection. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 48-year-old female egg collector presented with muscle weakness, fatigue and extreme lethargy three weeks after developing rigors, headache, photophobia and nausea. Kunjin virus was isolated from an acute phase serum sample. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: The patient made a partial recovery after treatment for 10 days with Catovit (Boehringer Ingelheim), one tablet twice a day, and then declined further medical contact. CONCLUSION: The isolation of Kunjin virus from this patient confirms previous serological observations which suggested that this mosquito-borne virus caused febrile episodes in humans accompanied, on occasion, by polyarthralgia or mild central nervous system signs and symptoms. ( info) |
| OBJECTIVE: To report a recent fatal case of encephalitis associated with evidence of Murray Valley encephalitis virus infection, only the second fatality from this infection in western australia. CLINICAL FEATURES: An 18-month-old Aboriginal boy was admitted to hospital in northwest western australia with proven haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: After an initial good response to antibiotics (amoxycillin and cefotaxime) he relapsed and died with evidence of encephalitis. Analysis of serum showed a high titre of antibody to Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus with the presence of specific IgM. No evidence was found for other infective agents. CONCLUSION: It is likely that this child died from MVE which followed his bacterial meningitis. Of the strains of mosquitoes trapped in the area of suspected infection 77.8% were culex annulirostris, the major vector species for MVE. No MVE virus was isolated from these mosquitoes, but serum from one of the sentinel chickens contained MVE virus antibodies, indicating the presence of the virus in that region. ( info) |
4/15. Illness caused by a Barmah Forest-like virus in new south wales. Barmah Forest virus, a recently-discovered arbovirus which belongs to the alphavirus genus of the family togaviridae, has been shown to cause infections in humans in new south wales. The present report documents three patients in whom Barmah Forest viral infection appears to have resulted in illness. Barmah Forest virus or a closely-related alphavirus may, as are several other alphaviruses, be pathogenic. ( info) |
| hematuria and proteinuria were detected at the peak of symptoms in a case of ross river virus (RRV) disease. No other infective cause was identified. A renal biopsy 28 days after the onset of nephritis showed mild mesangial proliferative changes and one segmental sclerotic lesion. Immunofluorescence showed widespread linear deposition of IgG in glomerular capillary walls with similar but weak staining for IgM, complement (C3) and fibrinogen; granular deposits of IgM and C3 in several arterioles; and IgM in a few mesangial cells. No electron-dense deposits were detected, nor was RRV antigen found in the renal tissue. Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies were not detected in the serum. Recovery from the renal disturbance was complete within three months although rheumatic symptoms persisted for 30 months. ( info) |
6/15. The inflammatory response in the synovium of a patient with Ross River arbovirus infection. ross river virus has been incriminated in the etiology of many sporadic and epidemic cases of polyarthritis in Australia and the Pacific. Both synovium and synovial exudate fluid recovered from the knee of an epidemic polyarthritis patient showed a predominantly mononuclear leucocyte infiltrate. Infectious virus could not be recovered from the synovial exudate. Functional natural killer cells were detected in the synovial fluid. Their level of cytotoxic activity was similar to that detected in the peripheral circulation. ( info) |
| Kunjin virus encephalomyelitis is described in a 49-year-old man who presented with an episode of acute encephalitis. He developed profound bulbar, truncal and proximal muscle weakness suggestive of damage to cranial motor nuclei and anterior horn cells. This resolved very slowly. A marked rise in antibody titres to Kunjin virus was shown by haemagglutination inhibition tests. Specific IgM antibodies were detected only against Kunjin virus. ( info) |
8/15. Illness caused by a Kokobera-like virus in south-eastern Australia. Three patients who lived in south-eastern Australia and who suffered acute polyarticular illnesses in the summer months of 1983-1984 and 1984-1985 are described. Two patients lived in the southwestern plains of new south wales and one in Bairnsdale in eastern victoria. Serological studies implicated Kokobera virus, a flavivirus, as the likely causative agent. This would appear to be the first report to indicate the pathogenicity of Kokobera virus. ( info) |
| chikungunya virus arthritis is an acute severe polyarthritis following upon the bite of infected mosquitoes in endemic areas. With rapid air transport an increasing number of tourists are being exposed to potential infection. Whether tourists returning home in the incubation viremic stage can infect local mosquito populations in their home countries is unknown. Most cases recover from the severe joint pains within several weeks but up to 12% retain some residual joint symptoms for years. A case report is given of probable Chikungunya arthritis progressing to joint destruction before ultimately subsiding after 15 years leaving a sequela of destroyed metatarsal heads and late osteoarthritic changes in the ankles. ( info) |
10/15. Spondweni virus infection in a foreign resident of Upper Volta. Spondweni virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus previously reported to cause human disease in Southern and West africa. A serologically confirmed case of Spondweni virus infection in a U.S. citizen residing in Upper Volta is reported. Symptoms included fever, chills, headache, myalgia, nausea, and rash. A greyish mucoid lining was present on the posterior pharynx. The differential diagnosis included rickettsial infection, leptospirosis, typhoid fever, and numerous viral illnesses including lassa fever. Evidence of Spondweni virus infection was also found in two other U.S. citizens residing in gabon and cameroon. Spondweni virus might be a cause of acute febrile illness throughout West africa, and its presence should be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile illness and in antibody surveys in that region. ( info) |