Ross River Virus Runs Rampant on the Gold Coast of Australia

The first outbreak of Ross River Virus (RRV) occurred in 1928 in South Wales, Australia. I reviewed RRV literature published between 2001 and 2015. The virus is carried by a mosquito and transmitted through a wallaby as its most common intermediate host. Researchers arrived at their findings by conducting extensive lab work on both mosquitos and humans. Signs and symptoms of RRV include joint inflammation, pain, fatigue, and muscle aches. It takes 3-21 days for symptoms to appear, with an average of 9 days. There is no cure to RRV, and there is no vaccine currently being developed. The best way to prevent infection with RRV in endemic areas is to prevent mosquito bites.