An Observational Study of JE Cases Detected in National Centre for Disease Control from January 2017 to December 2019

Abstract

Introduction: Japanese Encephalitis (JE), a leading cause of AES is a vector-borne disease is caused by the JE virus belonging to the genus Flavivirus (Flaviviridae family), and transmitted by bite of Culex vishnui subgroup tritaeniorhynchus, the most important reported vector species for JE transmission in India. Methodology: A study was conducted on 1131 AES suspected cases in JE laboratory of Centre for Arboviral and Zoonotic diseases, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi from tertiary care referral hospitals of Delhi for laboratory confirmation of JE during the period from January 2017- December 2019. CSF and/ or Serum Samples from 1131 hospitalized AES suspected cases mostly from Delhi, UP, Haryana addresses. They were tested and interpreted for IgM antibodies by the JE IgM Capture ELISA kit (National Institute of Virology, Pune). The demographic profile (age/ sex/ seasonality/ place) of JE confirmed cases were analyzed. Result: 77 (6.8%) out of 1131 AES suspected cases were JE confirmed. 48 patients (62.2%) were of pediatric age group 19 (24.7%) were of middle age adult and 10 (13.0 %) were older age adults out of 77 JE confirmed cases.. The JE cases occurred throughout the year, though maximum cases were observed in the monsoon seasons (June-October) in our study. In our study most of the JE confirmed patients were residents of state of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Conclusion: The study attempts to highlight the need of strengthening quality of laboratory detection of JE in AES cases, need for intensive vector control policy and re-evaluation of the policy of JE vaccination in India.