• Mosquito born viral encephalitis

• Encephalitis – ‘inflammation of the

brain’
• Earliest outbreak – 1871
• 20,000 to 50,000 cases diagnosed per
year
• Treatment is supportive
• Mosquito born viral encephalitis
• Encephalitis – ‘inflammation of the
brain’
• Earliest outbreak – 1871
• 20,000 to 50,000 cases diagnosed per
year
• Treatment is supportive
• Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV)
• Genus – Flavivirus
• Single Stranded RNA (ssRNA)
Description: This is an ultra-thin section of a Vero cell culture infected for 24
hours. Virions have accumulated in the space between cells as a result of budding
from the surface membrane of infected cells. In this infection very large numbers
of the 60 nm (nanometer) spherical virions are produced quickly and as quickly
the cells are destroyed. Magnification approximately x70,000. Micrograph from F.
A. Murphy, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis.
www.wikipedia.org
•The lumen of the Endoplasmic Reticulum
(ER) is infected by JEV
•90% asymptomatic
• Acute inflammation involving parts of the
brain, spinal cord and meninges.

Why me???
Stop poodle-faking
guys!
•Fever
•Head ache
•Malaise
•Hemi-paresis
•Convulsion
•Stupor
•Coma
•Mortality
•Life-long neurological defects
•Deafness
•Emotional liability
•Other CNS disabilities
• JE once spread all the way from Far East
Russia to Torres Strait Islands
•Today, it is mainly Confined to South East
Asia
www.wikipedia.org
•Enzootic cycle between birds and pigs
•Birds – disseminate the virus
•Pigs – amplifier hosts
•Humans and horses are ‘dead end’ hosts, not
part of the reservoir!
• Bite of infected Mosquitoes
•Culex tritaeniorhynchus
•Culex vishnui
•Culex annulirostris
•Culex gelidus
 Culex tritaeniorhynchus

Culex vishnui

Culex annulirostris

Culex gelidus
•6 to 16 days (ADHA, 2004)
•None
•Cannot be spread from person to person
•No isolation of patient required
It’s okay, you can come
back to the lines

I want to be in
the RAP
•Infants and the elderly are most
susceptible
•In highly endemic areas, the adult
population is largely immune
•Infection with JEV confers life-long
immunity
•Vaccination, JE-Vax® and Green Cross,
administered in the 1st, 7th and 28th day; booster
every 3 years
•Elimination/Isolation of pigs, no pets!
•Eliminating or reducing the number of
mosquitoes
•Utilising PPE, dip Cams, use repellent and
use fly screens
•AQIS maintain herds of sentinel pigs
•Farmers immunise domestic animal
•Education, education, education…
•JE is a viral disease
•Most cases are asymptomatic
•May be fatal
•Enzootic cycle between pigs and birds
•No human to human transmission
•Vaccine available
•Don’t keep pigs as mascots or pets