Publications

mosquito distribution in a saltmarsh: determinants of eggs in a variable environment.	two saltmarsh mosquitoes dominate the transmission of ross river virus (rrv, togoviridae: alphavirus), one of australia's most prominent mosquito-borne diseases. ecologically, saltmarshes vary in their structure, including habitat types, hydrological regimes, and diversity of aquatic fauna, all of which drive mosquito oviposition behavior. understanding the distribution of vector mosquitoes within saltmarshes can inform early warning systems, surveillance, and management of vector populations. t ...	2017	28504426
predictive modelling of ross river virus notifications in southeastern australia.	ross river virus (rrv) is a mosquito-borne virus endemic to australia. the disease, marked by arthritis, myalgia and rash, has a complex epidemiology involving several mosquito species and wildlife reservoirs. outbreak years coincide with climatic conditions conducive to mosquito population growth. we developed regression models for human rrv notifications in the mildura local government area, victoria, australia with the objective of increasing understanding of the relationships in this complex ...	2017	27866492
"looking over the backyard fence": householders and mosquito control.	(1) background: vector-borne diseases are a significant public health problem in western australia. mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of a number of pathogens and may pose a serious nuisance problem. prevention efforts in the state are multi-faceted and include physical, chemical, and cultural control methods for restricting mosquito breeding. this is less complex where breeding areas are located within public open spaces. in australia's developed urban areas, breeding sites are, h ...	2017	28257079
resource limitation, controphic ostracod density and larval mosquito development.	aquatic environments can be restricted with the amount of available food resources especially with changes to both abiotic and biotic conditions. mosquito larvae, in particular, are sensitive to changes in food resources. resource limitation through inter-, and intra-specific competition among mosquitoes are known to affect both their development and survival. however, much less is understood about the effects of non-culicid controphic competitors (species that share the same trophic level). to ...	2015	26558896
ross river virus risk associated with dispersal of aedes (ochlerotatus) camptorhynchus (thomson) from breeding habitat into surrounding residential areas: muddy lakes, western australia.	rapid population growth in western australia has resulted in increased development of land for residential housing, and new developments are often proposed close to water because of intrinsic aesthetic values. however, this placement may place future residents at risk of mosquito-borne disease, of which ross river virus (rrv) disease is the most common in australia. mosquito dispersal data were combined with a spatial analysis of human rrv cases to show that mosquitoes dispersed readily from lar ...	2014	24799370
ross river virus (rrv) infection in horses and humans: a review.	a fascinating and important arbovirus is ross river virus (rrv) which is endemic and epizootic in nature in certain parts of the world. rrv is a member of the genus alphavirus within the semliki forest complex of the family togaviridae, which also includes the getah virus. the virus is responsible for causing disease both in humans as well as horses. mosquito species (aedes camptorhynchus and aedes vigilax; culex annulirostris) are the most important vector for this virus. in places of low tempe ...	2014	26035950
dryland salinity and vector-borne disease emergence in southwestern australia.	broad-scale clearing of native vegetation for agriculture in southwestern australia has resulted in severe ecosystem degradation, which has been compounded by the subsequent development of large areas of dryland salinity; decreased transevaporation allows the water table to rise, dissolving ancient aeolian salt deposits and creating saline surface pools. the mosquito-borne disease ross river virus has been noted as a potential adverse human health outcome in salinity-affected regions because the ...	2011	21416220
environmental drivers of ross river virus in southeastern tasmania, australia: towards strengthening public health interventions.	summaryin australia, ross river virus (rrv) is predominantly identified and managed through passive health surveillance. here, the proactive use of environmental datasets to improve community-scale public health interventions in southeastern tasmania is explored. known environmental drivers (temperature, rainfall, tide) of the rrv vector aedes camptorhynchus are analysed against cumulative case records for five adjacent local government areas (lgas) from 1993 to 2009. allowing for a 0- to 3-mont ...	2011	21439102
the roles of predators, competitors, and secondary salinization in structuring mosquito (diptera: culicidae) assemblages in ephemeral water bodies of the wheatbelt of western australia.	studies that consider both biotic and abiotic determinants of organisms are rare, but critical to delineate underlying determinants of community richness (number of taxa) and abundance (number of larvae per water body). in this study, we consider the importance of disturbance (salinity) and predator and competitor variables on mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) in small ephemeral water bodies across the wheatbelt of western australia. similar to mosquitoes, and contrary to general perceptions, nonc ...	2010	20550792
dryland salinity and the ecology of ross river virus: the ecological underpinnings of the potential for transmission.	alterations in transmission of vector-borne zoonoses are often linked to environmental change. however, ecological processes that determine variability in potential for transmission are generally not well understood. ross river virus (rrv, togoviridae: alphavirus) is a mosquito-borne zoonosis in australia with a significant human disease burden. the inland southwest (wheatbelt) of western australia (wa) is substantially affected by an anthropogenic salinization of agricultural land (dryland sali ...	2009	19326966
a serological survey of cattle in the thames - coromandel district of new zealand for antibodies to ross river virus.	to determine if cattle exposed to the southern saltmarsh mosquito (ssm), aedes camptorhynchus, in the thames-coromandel district of new zealand had been exposed to ross river virus (rrv).	2009	19471331
colonization of ephemeral water bodies in the wheatbelt of western australia by assemblages of mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae): role of environmental factors, habitat, and disturbance.	environmental disturbance may have direct and indirect impacts on organisms. we studied the colonization of ephemeral water bodies by mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) in the wheatbelt region of southwest western australia, an area substantially affected by an expanding anthropogenic salinization. mosquitoes frequently colonized ephemeral water bodies, responded positively to rainfall, and populated smaller water bodies more densely than larger water bodies. we found that the habitat characteristi ...	2009	20021752
disease suspected to be caused by ross river virus infection of horses.	ross river virus (rrv) was believed to be the cause of acute illness in four horses around the bellarine peninsula in south-west victoria, australia. the horses presented with clinical signs including petechial haemorrhages, lymphadenopathy, distal limb swelling and reluctance to move. fibrinogen was also elevated in three of the four horses. whilst no virus was isolated, serological testing revealed elevated rrv igm titres in all horses indicating acute infection. the outbreak occurred at a tim ...	2008	18782422
impact of dryland salinity on population dynamics of vector mosquitoes (diptera: culicidae) of ross river virus in inland areas of southwestern western australia.	clearing of native vegetation for agriculture since european settlement has left 1.047 million ha of southwestern australia affected by a severe form of environmental degradation called dryland salinity, characterized by secondary soil salinization and waterlogging. this area may expand by a further 1.7-3.4 million ha if current trends continue. detailed investigations of seasonal of adult and larval mosquito population dynamics were undertaken in the region to test the hypothesis that the devel ...	2008	19058624
ross river virus and its vectors in sorell municipal area, south-eastern tasmania, january to march 2002.	in 2002, tasmania reported the largest number of ross river virus (rrv) infections ever recorded for the state. of the 117 cases, 37 lived in, or had visited, the sorell municipal area, east of hobart. in early 2002, a combination of spring tides and high summer rainfall produced extensive salt marsh habitat in the sorell region, resulting in unseasonably high densities of the mosquito ochlerotatus camptorhynchus, recognised vector of rrv. four isolates of rrv were identified from collections of ...	2004	15460967
is new zealand prepared to deal with arboviral diseases?	to now, new zealand has been spared arboviral diseases, except for the odd imported infection. however, two exotic vector mosquitoes (ochlerotatus camptorhynchus and ochlerotatus notoscriptus) have become established in new zealand and the routine arrival of infected people from overseas may soon lead to local arboviral transmission. large populations of wild wallabies and brushtail possums could serve as reservoirs of ross river virus and other arboviruses. several other exotic mosquito species ...	2004	15108743
ross river virus: ecology and distribution.	ross river virus is the most common mosquito-borne pathogen in australia, and approximately 5000 human cases are reported annually. the infection is not fatal, but there is considerable morbidity associated with a debilitating polyarthritis that is the major symptom. the virus is annually active in most regions of australia, but exists as strains that vary in virulence. native macropods are thought to be the natural vertebrate hosts, although horses and humans may be involved during epidemic act ...	2002	11729067
an outbreak of barmah forest virus disease in victoria.	this report describes the epidemiological and clinical features of an outbreak of 47 cases of laboratory-confirmed barmah forest virus disease (bf disease) that occurred in victoria between january and may 2002. laboratory-confirmed cases were investigated, and information on travel history and clinical details was collected. surveillance data from adult mosquito trappings and climatic conditions in the wellington shire were also reviewed. the response rate for interviews was 85 per cent (40/47) ...	2002	12549534
isolation of ross river virus from aedes camptorhynchus.		1989	2541321
an investigation of the potential of aedes camptorhynchus (thom.) as a vector of ross river virus.	aedes camptorhynchus (thom.) collected on the mid-south coast of new south wales during the winter of 1982 were highly susceptible to infection (id50 = 10(2.4) vero pfu/mosquito) when fed on rat tail skins containing blood and serial dilutions of the t48 strain of ross river (rr) virus. after 2 d, when no virus was detectable, rapid proliferation allowed transmission from 5 d post ingestion. a maximum transmission rate occurred 9 d post-feeding when 4 of 4 infected mosquitoes transmitted virus. ...	1986	3017279