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Emerging flaviviruses: the spread and resurgence of Japanese encephalitis, West Nile and dengue viruses

Nature Medicine volume 10, pages S98–S109 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Mosquito-borne flaviviruses provide some of the most important examples of emerging and resurging diseases of global significance. Here, we describe three of them: the resurgence of dengue in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, and the spread and establishment of Japanese encephalitis and West Nile viruses in new habitats and environments. These three examples also illustrate the complexity of the various factors that contribute to their emergence, resurgence and spread. Whereas some of these factors are natural, such as bird migration, most are due to human activities, such as changes in land use, water impoundments and transportation, which result in changed epidemiological patterns. The three examples also show the ease with which mosquito-borne viruses can spread to and colonize new areas, and the need for continued international surveillance and improved public health infrastructure to meet future emerging disease threats.

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Figure 1: The global distribution and spread of the major Japanese encephalitis serological group members.
Figure 2: Approximate geographic distribution of WNV in the Americas, from 1999 to September 2004.
Figure 3: Dengue virus.
Figure 4
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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Biosecurity Cooperative Research Centre, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, Western Australia

    John S Mackenzie

  2. Asia-Pacific Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Leahi Hospital, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    Duane J Gubler

  3. Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

    Lyle R Petersen

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  1. John S Mackenzie
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  2. Duane J Gubler
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  3. Lyle R Petersen
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Correspondence to John S Mackenzie.

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Competing interests

John Mackenzie is on the Board of Directors of a diagnostics company, PANBIO, and holds about 10,000 shares worth approximately Aust. $3,000 (US $2,000).

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Mackenzie, J., Gubler, D. & Petersen, L. Emerging flaviviruses: the spread and resurgence of Japanese encephalitis, West Nile and dengue viruses. Nat Med 10 (Suppl 12), S98–S109 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1144

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