This document summarizes a study on the prevalence of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in the Dhemaji district of Assam, India. The study found that 36.88% of patients admitted with acute encephalitis syndrome tested positive for JE using an IgM capture ELISA test. Most positive cases were in children under 10 years old. Living conditions with domestic pigs, who are reservoirs for the virus, and a lack of mosquito nets for the pigs, were found to be risk factors. The number of reported JE cases in the district increased from 2013 to 2014. Vaccination programs in Assam started in 2006 and have expanded to include more districts and age groups over time.

1. NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NEWAPPROACHES OF
BASIC SCIENCES TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (NABSET) 2015
PREVALENCE OF JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS
IN DHEMAJI DISTRICT OF ASSAM
Mridul Malakar
Ph(D) Scholar
Himalayan University, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Abhishek Mathur
Director Research (R &D)
Dept. of Research & Development (R&D), Institute of Transgene Life
Sciences, Dehradun (U.K), India

2. INTRODUCTION
Japanese encephalitis is a mosquito-borne disease caused by Japanese encephalitis virus.
Japanese encephalitis is a flavivirus that is transmitted by the mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus and
Culex vishnui mainly.
Domestic pigs and wild birds are the reservoirs of this virus and transmission to humans may cause
severe symptoms include Fever, Headache, abnormal behavior (Changing mental status), Seizure,
unconsciousness, Neck rigidity, Paralysis etc.
In 1871, first clinical case of Japanese encephalitis was reported from Japan.
In India the first JEV case was reported in 1952 and in the year 1973from the Bankura District of
West Bengal JEV outbreak was reported.
1978, first case of Japanese encephalitis was reported from the Lakhimpur district of Assam.

3. IMPORTANCE
JE is the leading cause of viral neurological disease in Asia.
More than 3 billion people live in areas where JE is transmitted.
JE is a traditionally a disease of children. Age shift has been reported in recent
years in Assam1 and UP.
Up to 50,000 cases of JE are reported to WHO each year.
Up to 10,000 to 15,000 deaths are reported each year.
1. Borah, J., Dutta, P., Khan, S.A., & Mahanta, J. (2011). A comparison of clinical features of Japanese encephalitis
virus infection in the adult and pediatric age group with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome. Journal of Clinical Virology, 52,
45- 49

4. VACCINATION
1983: Immunization in South Korea (Started as early as age 3).
1983-1987: Vaccine available in U.S. on investigational basis.
2006: India ( Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam & Karnataka )
Assam started Children vaccination since 2006 with Sivsagar and Dibrugarh district
and in 2007, it includes Golaghat & Jorhat district.
Again adult vaccination processed from Sivsagar district in the year 2011 with the
vaccine SA14-14-2 strain. After that it includes for Kamrup (M), Golaghat,
Jorhat, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Dhemaji and Lakhimpur district .

5. METHODOLOGY
Field Investigation (For hospital admitted patients ).
Documentation & Sample Collection.
JE IgM Capture ELISA .
Result Analysis.

6. RSEULT
36.88 % Patients were positive (52/141).
Maximum AES patients were below 10 (ten) years.
Maximum Peoples were living with domestic pigs.
No mosquito nets were found for pigs.
Neighboring area of Arunachal Pradesh (hilly Area) is main cause of water
logging.

7. FIGURES
FIGURE 1: CASES REPORTED OF JE IN YEAR 2013

8. FIGURE 2: CASES REPORTED OF JE IN YEAR 2014

9. PICTURES
Image 1: People’s living behavior with pigs found during field investigation

10. IMAGE 2: AMPLIFYING DOMESTIC PIGS FOUND WITH CARRIER-ADRID
BIRDS DURING FIELD INVESTIGATION

11. IMAGE 3: JE POSITIVE PATIENT

12. IMAGE 4: ELISA PLATE

13. THANK YOU