Taiwan CDC has confirmed the first fatal case of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in 2010. The case was a 49-year-old female living in southern Taiwan. She had a medical history of hypertension. She fell ill on May 18, 2010, but did not seek medical help. On May 19, she visited a local clinic when suffering from persistent fever, dizziness, headache and drowsiness. She returned home the same day. On May 20, she was hospitalized at a regional hospital. On May 21, her fever persisted with no sign of abating and she started to suffer from cramps and loss of consciousness. Due to the severity of her symptoms, she was transferred to a medical center’s emergency unit. On May 26, laboratory results confirmed her infection of JE. However, she failed to recover from her severe conditions and passed away on June 3. The field investigation showed that her work place is adjacent to dry-farming lands, vegetable plantations and an abandoned pig farm. Next to the pig farm is a large drainage trench. The mosquitoes (culex tritaeniorhynchus) caught in this pig farm were tested positive for JE viruses. This fatal case is therefore believed to have a strong environmental link. Taiwan CDC urged the public to carry out careful prevention of mosquitoes.
According to Taiwan CDC’s surveillance data, during 2007 and 2009, 37, 17 and 18 cases of JE were respectively confirmed and 2, 1 and 1 deaths were respectively resulted. As of June 3, 2010, 2 JE cases have been confirmed. In comparison to the figures reported during the same period in the previous years (4, 1, 2 cases), no irregularity was observed.
Vaccination has been proven to be the most effective prevention of JE. The process of vaccination, coinciding with the high season of JE infection, takes place from March to May every year. It is sometimes extended up to September. Infants aged under 15 months should first receive two doses of vaccine 2 weeks apart, followed by a third shot in the next year. An extra dose of vaccine should be given at the first year of the elementary school. Parents should ensure their children are fully immunized by completing the inoculation at local health bureaus or cooperating medical institutions. JE vaccines are also available for purchase in the National Taiwan University Hospital Yun-Lin Branch, the National Yang-Ming University Hospital, 23 other hospitals and their branches nationwide. Adults whose living or working conditions that pose a high risk of infection are advised to visit any of the aforementioned hospitals for vaccination.
Taiwan CDC would like to warn the public of the danger of JE as Taiwan has now entered the high JE season. Summertime usually sees a significant increase in mosquitoes. Therefore, people should avoid visiting areas prone to be the hubs of mosquito activity, especially during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Long sleeve and long pants are advised if visits to such areas can not be avoided. Mosquito repellent sprays can be applied to exposed skin to prevent mosquito bites, hence lowering the possibility of JE infection.