There is something to watch out for if you own pigs or horses - or have feral pigs on your property.

There is something to watch out for if you own pigs or horses - or have feral pigs on your property.

A mosquito-borne virus has been detected in two Queensland piggeries, feral pigs in NSW and mozzies in Monto, Goondiwindi and Inglewood.

The virus (Japanese encephalitis) can cause unexplained stillbirths in pigs and inflammation of the brain in horses, and can potentially cause serious illness in humans.

The virus could spread to the Desert Channel region through feral pigs.

People who work or live near pigs, including feral pigs, should look out for signs of the virus; including unexplained birth complications in pigs, or imbalance or poor vision in horses

It is not possible for people to catch JEV directly from pigs, horses or from meat; only from a bite from infected mosquitos.

If you suspect a case of the virus, report it to your local vet.

What you should do:

- Wear loose, long-sleeved clothing when working near pigs or feral pigs.

- Take measures to avoid mosquito bites and wear insect repellent where possible.

JE was first detected in piggeries in NSW in February 2022 

Human infections were first reported in NSW in March 2022 

The outbreak was genetically linked to a case detected in the Tiwi Islands in February 2021 

JE was previously detected in tropical far north Queensland in the 1990s.

In February 2021, a case was identified on the Northern Territory tropical coast