title: Dynamic spatiotemporal trends of imported dengue fever in Australia.
abstract: Dengue fever (DF) epidemics in Australia are caused by infected international travellers and confined to Northern Queensland where competent vectors exist. Recent analyses suggest that global trade and climate change could lead to the re-establishment of Ae. aegypti across the country and promote the spread of dengue nationally. This study aimed to describe the dynamic spatiotemporal trends of imported DF cases and their origins, identify the current and potential future high-risk regions and locate areas that might be at particular risk of dengue transmission should competent mosquito vectors expand their range. Our results showed that the geographical distribution of imported DF cases has significantly expanded in mainland Australia over the past decade. In recent years, the geographical distribution of source countries of DF has expanded from the Pacific region and Asia to include Africa and the Americas. Australia is now exposed to dengue importations from all of the regions involved in the current global pandemic. The public health implications of a range expansion of dengue mosquito vectors are severe. Enhanced mosquito surveillance in those areas that have high imported cases is called for to reduce emerging threats from this globally expanding pathogen.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Xiaodong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK.
authors.forename: Laith
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yakob
authors.affiliation: Mosquito Control Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Devine
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Francesca D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Frentiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shiu-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Wenbiao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006801:Humans; D015233:Models, Statistical