Ross River VirusBy Rebecca Heenan

What is the Disease?

Ross River Virus (RRV) is a widespread mosquito-borne pathogen and is Australia’s most common mosquito disease, with an average of 5000 cases each year.

What is the cause of the Disease?

Ross River Virus is caused by the animal host-vector-human cycle, where the mosquito is the vector. The female mosquito feeds on the blood of an infected

animal, when it is time to feed again the mosquito will pass on the infection to the next animal or person.

What type of disease is it?

The Ross River Virus is a Mosquito-Borne disease.

Indirect Disease because the insect carries the virus.

Who commonly suffers from this disease?

Everyone who is in contact with known mosquito habitats, live in hot/humid climates e.g. Queensland and

live in places with lots of water nearby.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Joint pains and inflammation

Muscle aches

Fever

Rash

Headache

Fatigue (tiredness)

Arthritis

Myalgia (muscular pain)

Swollen lymph nodes

Tingling and pain on palms of hands and

soles of feet.

You can also get general malaise,

Nausea,

Sore eyes

Sore throat.

Arthralgia (sharp/ severe pain occurring

in nerves or joints)

What is the Treatment of the disease? Can it be cured?

There is no current cure for the Ross River Virus, although the symptoms can be treated.

There are a numerous amount of panedol, drugs and antibiotics which can ease the pain such as,

aspirin, paracetamol and Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).

How you can prevent RRV? Screens

Nets

Long sleeve tops and clothing

Repellents that contain

Diethyltoluamide (DEET)

Mosquito coils

Make sure that there are no containers

around that can hold water for Mosquito's to

breed in.

Implications and impacts on the society.

Environmental factors could be that the

Mosquito's are killing other animals with the disease and they are

breeding more quickly into the food chain.

Lifestyle factors could be that citizens are

becoming more worried to go on

holidays near rivers/creeks etc.

where there could be many Mosquito’s.

Has the Disease increased? Is it more common in different

countries?

Ross River Virus has about 5000 cases

each year in Australia, it can defiantly

increase due to water levels rising.

This virus is more common in places

where the climate is warmer e.g.

Queensland and near places with large amounts of water.

Any interesting info?

The Simpsons episode:

It shows how easily diseases can get into our country and hurt us.

Bibliography

www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/rossriver.html

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Complete home medical guide

The Galle Encyclopedia of Medicine

Google Images