{
  "abstract": "Objectives: In 2022, Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was detected in humans and animals across mainland Australia. We examined the prevalence of JEV and endemic flaviviruses, Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV) and Kunjin virus (KUNV) antibodies in blood donors in different risk geographic areas across southern Australia.\n\nDesign: Prospective cross-sectional serosurvey for JEV, MVEV and KUNV-specific antibodies.\n\nSetting: Southern Australia.\n\nParticipants: All Australian blood donors who attended nine high-risk (geographical proximity to recent human, animal and/or vector detections of JEV) and three low-risk (no competent JEV vector and no animal or human detections were nearby) donor centres between 8–26 August or 12–17 September 2022 were analysed.\n\nPrimary and secondary outcome measures: Seroprevalence estimates of JEV, MVEV and KUNV-specific antibodies were compared between blood donors from collection sites in areas considered high-risk and low-risk for JEV infection. Seroprevalence estimates were adjusted for age and sex after excluding donors born in JEV-endemic countries and those with documented JEV vaccination.\n\nResults: JEV-specific antibody seroprevalence was 1.6% (95% CI 1.3% to 2.0%) from 5257 samples. Odds of JEV seropositivity were greater in high-risk versus low-risk areas (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.5 to 2.2; absolute risk difference: 0.8 percentage points) and in males versus females (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.6). In high-risk areas, people ≥70 years had higher seroprevalences than those aged 18–29 (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.8 to 5.5). MVEV and KUNV-specific antibody seroprevalence were 2.2% (95% CI 1.9% to 2.7%) and 3.7% (95% CI 3.2% to 4.3%), respectively, with higher prevalence in high-risk areas (MVEV OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.6 to 4.3; KUNV OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.9 to 3.0) and older ages.\n\nConclusions: Blood donors in areas where JEV emerged in the 2021–2022 Australian summer had a 0.8 percentage point higher seroprevalence compared with non-JEV transmission areas, with older male donors most likely to be seropositive. Patterns were similar for endemic flaviviruses. This data informed recommendations for JEV vaccine distribution to high-risk areas and the need for non-pharmaceutical mosquito prevention strategies across Australia, given the highly susceptible population.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Department of Infectious Diseases, Nepean Hospital, Kingswood, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Alexandria, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Westmead Hospital Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia",
    "Griffith University Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia",
    "Western Sydney University School of Medicine, South Penrith, New South Wales, Australia",
    "National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia",
    "Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, Australia"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 17,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        2,
        3,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Archana Koirala",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2567-8825"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Noni Ella Winkler",
      "orcid": "0009-0004-1866-4152"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Shayal A Prasad",
      "orcid": "0009-0008-2088-8584"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5,
        6
      ],
      "name": "Rena Hirani"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Jannah Baker"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7,
        8
      ],
      "name": "Linda Hueston"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        4,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Matthew O’Sullivan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Sandrine Stepien"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5
      ],
      "name": "Veronica Hoad"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        4,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Jen Kok"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5,
        9
      ],
      "name": "Iain B Gosbell"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        10
      ],
      "name": "Guddu Kaur"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Joanne Jackson"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        2,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Thomas L Snelling"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Dominic E Dwyer"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        5,
        11
      ],
      "name": "David O Irving"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        4
      ],
      "name": "Kristine Macartney",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4675-0232"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/937wj1vf8a2dp.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1136/bmjopen-2026-117510",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "937wj1vf8a2dp",
  "issns": [
    "2044-6055",
    "2044-6055"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-117510",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "2739|Mosquito-borne diseases and control"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214972980",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-30",
  "publisher": "BMJ",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/937wj1vf8a2dp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:44Z",
      "native_id": "10.1136/bmjopen-2026-117510",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://bmjopen.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjopen-2026-117510"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2739|Mosquito-borne diseases and control",
      "subfield": "epidemiology-public-health"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Seroprevalence of Japanese encephalitis virus and other flavivirus-specific antibodies among Australian blood donors following a novel epidemic spread of Japanese encephalitis virus: a cross-sectional study",
  "title_text": "Seroprevalence of Japanese encephalitis virus and other flavivirus-specific antibodies among Australian blood donors following a novel epidemic spread of Japanese encephalitis virus: a cross-sectional study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:44Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/937wj1vf8a2dp",
  "venue": "BMJ Open",
  "versions": []
}