Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV) is a zoonotic flavivirus endemic to northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. It is the causal agent of Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE; previously known as Australian encephalitis or Australian X disease). In humans, it can cause permanent neurological disease or death. MVEV is related to Kunjin virus, which has a similar ecology, but a lower morbidity rate. Although the arbovirus is endemic to Northern Australia, it has occasionally spread to the southern states during times of heavy rainfall during the summer monsoon season via seasonal flooding of the Murray-Darling River system. These outbreaks can be "...decades apart, with no or very few cases identified in between". Vector
MVEV is a mosquito-borne virus that is maintained in a bird-mosquito-bird cycle. Water birds from the order Ciconiiformes, including herons and cormorants, provide the natural reservoir for MVEV. The major mosquito vector is Culex annulirostris. Human infection occurs only through bites from infected mosquitoes; the virus cannot be transmitted from person to person. History
The first epidemics of MVE occurred in 1917 and 1918 in Southeastern Australia following years of high rainfall. The virus was isolated from human samples in 1951 during an epidemic in the Murray Valley, Australia.Epidemics usually occur due to either infected birds or mosquitoes migrating from endemic areas to non-endemic areas. The New South Wales government has placed sentinel flocks of chickens near known bird breeding sites as an early warning system. These flocks are tested for MVE during the mosquito breeding season. Presentation
The majority of MVEV infections are sub-clinical, i.e.
Spondylo-ocular syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterised by lesions in the eye and the spine. Presentation
These can be divided into those affecting the eyes, spine and other areas:

Genetics
This syndrome is caused by inactivating mutations in the xylosyltransferase (XYLT2) gene. It is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. Diagnosis
Treatment
History
This syndrome was first described by Schmidt et al in consanginous Iraqi family in 2001. References


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