Vaccine Research Library » Japanese Encephalitis
Japanese encephalitis vaccine at a glance:
According to the World Health Organization: [1]
- Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a flavivirus related to dengue, yellow fever and West Nile viruses, and is spread by mosquitoes.
- JE is the main cause of viral encephalitis in many countries of Asia with nearly 68 000 clinical cases every year.
- Although symptomatic JE is rare, the case-fatality rate among those with encephalitis can be as high as 30%. Permanent neurologic or psychiatric sequelae can occur in 30%–50% of those with encephalitis.
- 24 countries in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions have endemic JE transmission, exposing more than 3 billion people to risks of infection.
- There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is focused on relieving severe clinical signs and supporting the patient to overcome the infection.
Why should I be concerned?
- The World Health Organization recommends Japanese encephalitis vaccination when traveling to any region where the disease is a recognized public health problem.
- The Japanese encephalitis vaccination has been linked to allergic reactions. See the research article below.
1. World Health Organization: Japanese encephalitis