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A dengue epidemic due to type 2 virus involving some 3,400 cases began in Fiji early in 1971, had a peak during May, June and July, and cases have continued to occur with a low incidence during 1972 and 1973. Many of the notified cases showed classical dengue fever symptoms and there were no confirmed cases of haemorrhagic fever. A serological survey indicated that there had been at least 20,000 subclinical infections. It is probable that the virus was introduced to Fiji either through the port of Lautoka or Nadi international airport in February 1971. The normal travel patterns of residents must have spread the virus to all the more accessible localities but, with the exception of Rotuma, it caused infections only in areas where Aedes aegypti was available as a vector. There was no evidence that pre-existing dengue type 1 serum antibody gave any protection during this epidemic.

Surveys of arbovirus activity in Fiji were conducted over a 10-year period from December 1959 to December 1969. No arboviruses were isolated from over 200,000 mosquitoes, 9000 ticks, or 575 serum samples. Eight thousand human and 1117 bird, bat and animal sera were tested for haemagglutination-inhibiting arbovirus antibody using a variety of group A, group B and Bunyamwera group antigens. Only a small number of low-titre reactions were found among the non-human sera, but 14% of all human sera were found to contain Group B antibody. The antibody prevalence increased with increasing age, from less than 1% for persons born since 1950, to 70% for persons born before 1900. The age differences in prevalence could be used to estimate the time and size of previous epidemics. Differences were found in antibody prevalence between the sexes, between ethnic groups and between persons from different regions. These differences could be explained in terms of climate, location and custom.Historical and serological evidence both suggest that all the antibody detected was due to past exposure to dengue virus. The very high proportion of the population with no dengue antibody makes Fiji a high-risk area for a further dengue epidemic. Dengue virus is known to be active in the Pacific and South-East Asia.