May 20, 2026
The Department of Primary Industries has issued a Biosecurity Alert after Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) was detected again recently in pigs in Queensland.
This is the first confirmed case of JEV in pigs in Queensland since May 2025.
A spokesperson said the detection was not unexpected as JEV is now considered established in mainland Australia.
JEV circulates between mosquitoes, birds, and pigs and should be considered a potential risk when mosquitoes are present.
It can cause reproductive losses in pigs and neurological conditions in horses.
JEV is a rare, but potentially serious illness in humans.
While not everyone infected by JEV will get sick, it can cause serious illnesses in some people, including inflammation of the brain.
Animals and people become infected with JEV through the bite of an infected mosquito.
It is not possible for people to catch JEV directly from infected animals.
Only one case of JEV has been reported in Queensland so far this year, however two deaths were reported in 2025.
JEV cannot be transmitted human to human or human to mosquito, and a vaccination is available.
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