Incidence of Japanese Encephalitis in a Tertiary care Centre
2697-2701
Correspondence
Amrita Shriyan ,Assistant Professor A.J.Institute of Medical Sciences,Dept. of Microbiology,
Kuntikan , NH-17Mangalore
Phone.No9986252598
E.mail:dramrita@ymail.com
Background: Arbovirus are responsible for a significant number of viral encephalitis cases worldwide. Japanese Encephalitis virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that causes a major epidemic of acute encephalitis in humans throughout Asia (5). Scientific literature unequivocally shows the prevalence of Japanese encephalitis in various parts of India (4). In India, cases have been reported from Tamil nadu , Andra Pradesh , Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , Assam , West Bengal , Karnataka , Goa and Maharashtra (6). In recent years, South India has become endemic for the Japanese Encephalitis Virus. While there are reports from other parts of Karnataka which are on the border of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, till date, no data is available from South Karnataka.
Aim : The present study was conceived to estimate the incidence and clinical profile of Japanese Encephalitis among the patients which were clinically diagnosed with Viral Encephalitis at a tertiary care centre in South India.
Material and Methods: One hundred randomly selected cases of clinically diagnosed Encephalitis who were admitted in K.M.C. , Manipal, were included in the study . In - house MAC ELISA was used to detect specific IgM antibodies in the Cerebrospinal fluid (25,26).
Results : Anti- JEVirus IgM antibodies were detected in 8 % cases of clinicallydiagnosed encephalitis who were admitted to the K.M.C. Hospital. The mortality rate of the Japanese Encephalitis cases was 12.5 % . No sequalae was recorded in the Japanese Encephalitis cases who survived in our study.