Imported West Nile virus encephalitis in an Israeli tourist.
West Nile virus is an arbovirus that has caused large outbreaks of febrile illness, meningitis and encephalitis in Europe, North America and the Middle East. We describe the first laboratory-confirmed human case of West Nile virus infection in Australia, in a 58-year-old tourist who was almost certainly infected in Israel. The case is a reminder of the need to consider exotic pathogens in travellers and of the risk of introducing new pathogens into Australia.
Rogers
Benjamin A
BA
Victorian Infectious Diseases Service, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. benrogers@netspace.net.au
Hueston
Linda
L
Ratnam
Irani
I
D001315:Australia; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014195:Travel; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D014902:West Nile virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure