Kunjin virus (KUN) is similar Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE) virus; however, infection by KUN is generally milder than that with MVE, with a lower rate of encephalitis. KUN appears to have been responsible for some of the ‘Murray Valley encephalitis’ cases reported in 1974, and was implicated in an additional sporadic case in northern Victoria in 1984. KUN-is more widely distributed than MVE, and is found in most of tropical Australia, eastern Queensland, and occasionally southeastern Australia.

Notes for individual years:
1996 – Two cases in Queensland.
1997 – Two cases in Western Australia and two in Northern Territory. A presumptive case of KUN was reported in Pilbara, WA
2000 – Three in Western Australia and one in Northern Territory.
2001 – New South Wales, Northern Territory [2 cases] and Western Australia.
2003 – All cases reported from Queensland
2004 – 11 in Queensland and 1 in Victoria.
2005 – 1 in Queensland
2006 – 2 in Western Australia and 1 in Queensland

The vectors for KUN are Culex annulirostris, Cu. pseudovishnui and Cu. squamosis.

An extensive review of Australo-Pacific Arbovirus diseases is available in the ebook Australo-Pacific Arboviruses: Global Status

Update: posted in ProMED

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