Control of Japanese encephalitis in India: a reality

Japanese encephalitis is considered as a serious disease due to the complexity of the disease and lack of specific treatment. A secular trend towards declining of JE has been brought in China, Korea, and Japan with widespread use of JE vaccine. In India, the actual JE burden could be estimated only by strengthening diagnostic facilities for JE confirmation in hospitals. However, the available records at present indicate a rising trend in JE- occurrence and expansion of the disease into JE non-endemic areas, which cannot be ignored. JE control through vector control methods has limitations owing to sustainability and cost effectiveness of the programs. Under these circumstances, feasibility of JE vaccination in India has to be considered as a preventive measure, for which identification of risk areas, target populations to be immunized, cost-evaluation of immunization is emphasized. Since, JE vaccine is produced in India, extension of the availability of this vaccine into routine JE-immunization programs is not remote. China has proved that countries with limited sources can produce safe and effective JE vaccines.