HOW JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS IS TRANSMITTED?
Back
- Japanese encephalitis is a vector borne disease.
- Several species of mosquitoes are capable of transmitting JE virus.
- JE is a zoonotic infection. Natural hosts of JE virus include water birds of Ardeidae family (mainly pond herons and cattle egrets). Pigs play an important role in the natural cycle and serve as an amplifier host since they allow manifold virus multiplication without suffering from disease and maintain prolonged viraemia.
- Due to prolonged viraemia, mosquitoes get opportunity to pick up infection from pigs easily.
- Man is a dead end in transmission cycle due to low and short-lived viraemia. Mosquitoes do not get infection from JE patient.