Japanese Encephalitis can be devastating

Abstract

Japanese encephalitis, caused by the JE virus transmitted by mosquitoes, is the most common type of epidemic encephalitis  in Asia. It is endemic in most of South and Southeast Asia, but the number of cases can vary greatly between areas. While  many infections do not lead to disease, the symptomatic cases can be very severe and life-threatening. It mainly affects  children, whereas adults are generally immune to the disease due to either being infected in childhood or receiving  vaccination. However, individuals who are not immune, such as travelers from non-endemic countries, are susceptible to the  disease when exposed to the virus for the first time, regardless of age. Without antiviral treatment options, vaccination is the  only strategy to establish effective protection against Japanese encephalitis.