Scientist ill from dengue virus

Michael McKenna April 04, 2009

DENGUE fever claimed its first victim outside the sub-tropics when a Brisbane-based scientist fell ill while working on concentrated strains of the virus.

It is not yet known how the Queensland Institute of Medical Research scientist contracted the virus 10 days ago.

Queensland Health said yesterday there was "no risk" of dengue spreading to the southeast corner of the state.

Chief Health Officer Jeanette Young said tests were being conducted on other QIMR researchers and stricter safety protocols had been ordered at the laboratory at Herston, in Brisbane's inner north.

"From a public health point of view there is no risk at all," Dr Young said. "For a member of the public to be infected with the virus, they must be bitten by an Aedes aegypti mosquito that is carrying the virus. This mosquito does not currently inhabit southeast Queensland."

The male researcher was admitted to hospital and has since been released. Dr Young said there were strict safety protocols at the laboratory, including multiple air-lock doors.

"He was working on a concentrated strain of the virus," she said. "We don't know how he has actually been infected but we are enhancing personal protection in the laboratory."

The Brisbane infection follows a summer-long outbreak of the disease, which last month claimed the life of an 82-year-old Cairns woman.

It was the first death in Australia associated with dengue fever since two Torres Strait Islanders died in 2004.

Since a dengue outbreak was declared in Cairns last December, there have been more than 560 people confirmed to have contracted the virus.

Another 70 people have been infected in a separate outbreak in Townsville and small clusters of cases have been reported in Port Douglas, Yarrabah, Injinoo and Innisfail, Queensland.