Arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses) are important emerging pathogens in many tropical and developing countries of the world. The Southeast Asian and Western Pacific regions have recently experienced large outbreaks of dengue, Japanese encephalitis and chikungunya fever. In Papua New Guinea (PNG) serological surveys and mosquito isolation experiments suggest that arboviruses are prevalent throughout the country. However, the lack of surveillance and clinical reporting means that the distribution and prevalence of these diseases is unknown. In this paper we review the most important arboviruses with regard to human health in the PNG region.

We investigated the circulation of avian influenza viruses in poultry populations throughout Papua New Guinea to assess the risk to the poultry industry and human health. Oropharyngeal swabs, cloacal swabs and serum were collected from 537 poultry from 14 provinces of Papua New Guinea over an 11–month period (June 2011 through April 2012). Virological and serological investigations were undertaken to determine the prevalence of avian influenza viruses. Neither influenza A viruses nor antibodies were detected in any of the samples. This study demonstrated that avian influenza viruses were not circulating at detectable levels in poultry populations in Papua New Guinea during the sampling period. However, avian influenza remains a significant risk to Papua New Guinea due to the close proximity of countries having previously reported highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses and the low biosecurity precautions associated with the rearing of most poultry populations in the country.