Re-emergence of dengue virus in regional Queensland: 2019 dengue virus outbreak in Rockhampton, Central Queensland, Australia

Authors

  • Jacina Walker Central Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia; National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
  • Alyssa Pyke Public Health Virology Laboratory, Forensic and Scientific Services, Coopers Plains, Queensland, Australia
  • Paul Florian Central Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
  • Fred Moore Public Health Virology Laboratory, Forensic and Scientific Services, Coopers Plains, Queensland, Australia
  • Nicolas Smoll Central Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
  • Odewumi Adegbija Central Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
  • Arifuzzaman Khan Central Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
  • Rashidul Hasan Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
  • Heidi Carroll Communicable Disease Branch, Queensland Health, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  • Rachael Rodney Harris National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
  • Gulam Khandaker Central Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia; Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2021.45.31

Keywords:

Dengue, DENV-2, Aedes aegypti, Central Queensland, Rockhampton

Abstract


Objective(s)
To describe an autochthonous dengue virus type 2 (DENV-2) outbreak in Central Queensland from May 2019 and subsequent public health actions.
Design and setting
Public health outbreak investigation of locally acquired DENV-2 cases in Rockhampton, Central Queensland. This included laboratory investigations, associated mosquito vector surveillance, and control measures implemented in response to the outbreak.
Results
Twenty-one locally-acquired DENV-2 cases were identified during the Rockhampton outbreak (from 23 May to 7 October 2019): 13 laboratory-confirmed and eight probable cases. Clinical symptoms included lethargy (100%); fever (95%); headache (95%); and aches and pains (90%). Inspections of premises demonstrated that Aedes aegypti was present in 9.5% of those investigated which was more than half of the premises identified as containing mosquitoes. Nucleotide sequencing of a DENV-2 isolate recovered from the first confirmed case and DENV-2 RNA from an additional 5 patients indicated a single DENV-2 strain was responsible for the outbreak which was most closely related to DENV-2 strains from Southeast Asia.
Conclusions
The 2019 DENV-2 outbreak in Rockhampton, Central Queensland, Australia, likely resulted from the importation of a strain, most closely related to DENV-2 strains from Southeast Asia and is the first reported outbreak in the region specifically implicating DENV-2. Given the presence of Aedes aegypti in Rockhampton, appropriate medical and mosquito avoidance advice; ongoing surveillance; and deployment of mosquito control strategies for the prevention of dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases should be priorities for this region.

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Published

15/06/21

How to Cite

Walker, Jacina, Alyssa Pyke, Paul Florian, Fred Moore, Nicolas Smoll, Odewumi Adegbija, Arifuzzaman Khan, et al. 2021. “Re-Emergence of Dengue Virus in Regional Queensland: 2019 Dengue Virus Outbreak in Rockhampton, Central Queensland, Australia”. Communicable Diseases Intelligence 45 (June). https://doi.org/10.33321/cdi.2021.45.31.

Issue

Vol. 45 (2021)

Section

Original article

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