Isolation of a New Arbovirus from the Tick Argas robertsi from a Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis coromandus) Colony in Australia

Abstract

A new arbovirus was isolated from ticks of the species A. robertsi collected on 3 January 1980 from trees in which B. ibis coromandus was breeding. The breeding site is located in a swamp at latitude 27°S.,longitude 152"E. in south-east Queensland. Larvae, nymphs and adults of A. robertsi were observed to feed on egrets. The serum of 29 out of 37 egrets from the same colony contained neutralizing antibodies to the virus. No information is available on the pathogenicity of this virus for cattle egrets, or other species of bird. Lake Clarendon virus is suggested as the name for this new virus.