Links between dryland salinity, mosquito vectors, and Ross River Virus disease in southern inland Queensland—an example and potential implications

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doi:10.1071/SR07053

Links between dryland salinity, mosquito vectors, and Ross River Virus disease in southern inland Queensland—an example and potential implications

A. J. W. Biggs ^A ^B ^D, P. Mottram ^C

^A Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Water, PO Box 318, Toowoomba, Qld 3150, Australia.
^B School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia.
^C Queensland Health, Communicable Diseases Branch, 147–163 Charlotte Street, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.
^D Corresponding author. Email: andrew.biggs@nrw.qld.gov.au





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Soil Research 46(1) 62–66 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/SR07053
Submitted: 10 May 2007 Accepted: 30 November 2007 Published online: 8 February 2008

Abstract

The impacts of dryland salinity on landscapes and agriculture are well documented, but few links have been made to public health. A cluster of cases of Ross River Virus (RRV) disease in the vicinity of a dryland salinity expression in the town of Warwick, Queensland, has highlighted the potential role of secondary salinity expressions as breeding zones for mosquitoes, including vector species of RRV. It is suggested that further work is required to investigate the matter in Queensland, particularly in relation to the expansion of urban populations in south-east Queensland into old agricultural lands containing secondary salinity expressions.

Keywords: Ross River Virus, Aedes (Ochlerotatus) vigilax, Warwick, dryland salinity.