Japanese Encephalitis in Nagaland, India

In the past month, 16 people were admitted to the Zion Hospital & Research Centre in Dimapur due to infection with the Japanese Encephalitis virus. Of these, 4 people died from their infections.

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The risk of Japanese encephalitis is very low for most travellers to Asia, particularly for short-term visitors to urban areas. However, the risk varies according to season, destination, duration of travel and activities. Travellers to areas where this virus is circulating can reduce their risk of exposure to Japanese encephalitis virus by taking all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites. 

The USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee of Vaccination Practices recommends Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccination for persons moving to a JE-endemic country to take up residence, longer-term travellers to JE-endemic areas (for example, greater than or equal to one month), and frequent travellers to JE-endemic areas.

JE vaccine also should be considered for shorter-term travellers (for example, less than one month) with an increased risk for JE on the basis of planned travel duration, season, location, activities, and accommodations, and for travellers to JE-endemic areas who are uncertain about their specific travel duration, destinations, or activities.

 JE vaccine is not recommended for travellers with very low-risk itineraries, such as shorter-term travel limited to urban areas or outside of a well-defined JE virus transmission season.