To the Editor: The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is responsible for maintaining and updating the Australian immunisation handbook, on behalf of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).1 At its 25th meeting, in April 2004, ATAGI discussed data (then unpublished) presented by Hanson and colleagues on evidence for the spread of Japanese encephalitis virus beyond the Western Province of Papua New Guinea to the Port Moresby region.2 ATAGI believes it is probable the virus has spread to other parts of Papua New Guinea.
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- 1. National Health and Medical Research Council. The Australian immunisation handbook. 8th edition. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2003.
- 2. Hanson JP, Taylor CT, Richards AR, et al. Japanese encephalitis acquired near Port Moresby: implications for vaccinating travellers to Papua New Guinea [letter]. Med J Aust 2004; 181: 282.<eMJA full text>
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We thank Dr Jeffrey Hanna (Tropical Public Health Unit, Cairns, QLD) and Ms Letitia Toms (Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra, ACT) for their assistance in the preparation and review of this manuscript.