Japanese encephalitis in Tamil Nadu (2007-2009)

Abstract

Here we report a retrospective study, analyzing the JE positivity among the acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) cases referred from tertiary care centers in Chennai - Government General Hospitals, Institute of Child Health, Stanley Medical College & Hospital, other Government Hospitals and private institutions during a period of three years (2007-2009). During the three years it was observed that only in four of the total positive cases, both serum and CSF were positive implicating the time of sample collection as a vital factor in diagnosis. Since virus isolation, even at the best of the laboratory facilities is tedious and RNA detection not very sensitive, a positive MAC ELISA in CSF or serum is the accepted standard for diagnosis as JEV infection [9],[10] . JE vaccination has proven to be effective in the control and prevention of JE worldwide and this has been already undertaken in phases in Tamil Nadu [16] . Since it is the paediatric population which is highly implicated, augmenting the current vaccination programme throughout the country can control the infection [2],[13] .