Serological evidence of Japanese encephalitis virus activity in Bihar

Serum samples from 404 pigs originating from eight districts of Bihar were examined for haemagglutination-inhibiting and complement fixing antibodies of Japanese Encephalitis, Dengue-2, West Nile and Chikungunya viruses. Japanese Encephalitis viral infection was found to be widely prevalent compared to other arboviruses tested. RElatively large number of pigs had antibodies to JEV only (i.e. monoconverters). High geometric mean titre to JEV was observed. These observations appear to be of epidemiologic significance to the 1978 epidemic of encephalitis in Bihar. Epidemic of encephalitis was reported in 1978 from several states of India including Bihar. The only evidence of the activity of Japanese Encephalitis in Bihar came from Khan and Banerjee who found neutralizing antibodies in ardeid birds from Asansol - Dhanbad regions. Evidences are presented in this paper on the prevalence of Japanese Encephalitis in eight districts including Dhanbad of Bihar.