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The Japanese encephalitis virus comes from the Flavivirus genus, which also includes viruses such as those that cause dengue, yellow fever, and zika. The Japanese encephalitis virus causes the dreadful Japanese encephalitis infection in humans, which is defined as a brain infection.
Although the Japanese encephalitis infection generally shows mild symptoms and can even be asymptomatic, around one out of every 250 infections can cause serious illness, requiring specialized care and treatment (1).
The two ways in which the Japanese encephalitis virus is spread are as follows:
1. Transmission Via Mosquitoes
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Mosquitoes, particularly those belonging to the ‘Culex’ variant, carry and transmit the Japanese encephalitis virus in humans (2). Most transmissions of the virus happen in this manner.
Humans suffering from Japanese encephalitis don’t have enough viral load for the mosquitoes to get infected from and the mosquitoes, therefore, transmit the virus by feeding on pigs or water birds instead, resulting in what’s known as an ‘enzootic’ cycle (3).
Epidemics and breakouts of Japanese encephalitis transmissions occur commonly during summers and monsoons.
2. Fetal Transmission
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Transmission of the virus from the mother to the child can also happen (4).
The instances of Japanese encephalitis in children can have up to a 25% death rate, while 40% of the survivors go on to develop physical and mental disabilities (5).
Some of the symptoms of Japanese encephalitis can include fever, nausea, vomiting, headaches, etc. The development of brain swelling can also happen, which may result in a coma. Japanese encephalitis is a serious medical problem that can even result in death.
People traveling to tropical regions, or to places with a high instance of Japanese encephalitis infections need to ensure that they take the appropriate preventive measures to avoid the onset of the disease altogether. Once infected, there is no known cure for the disease and with the fatality rates being as high as they are, suffering from Japanese encephalitis is not a situation one would want to find themselves into (6).
Here are some ways through which you can prevent getting infected by the Japanese encephalitis virus:
1. Get Vaccinated
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Vaccination for the Japanese encephalitis virus is safe and effective. Available globally, the vaccination process can be carried out under the supervision of any general practitioner.
The preventive vaccine known as IXIARO is one of the solutions available for protection against Japanese encephalitis virus and is administered in two doses with 28 days between them (7). It is recommended for travelers who are traveling to areas where instances of Japanese encephalitis exist.
2. Use A Mosquito Repellent
The best way of protecting yourself from Japanese encephalitis virus, besides the vaccination, is to protect yourself from the carrier of the virus, the mosquitoes themselves. When indoors use a high-quality, high-performance mosquito repellent such as the Goodknight Activ+ System to keep mosquitoes away altogether.
Goodknight Activ+ System comes with Normal and Activ modes. and one can choose the mode, depending on the number of mosquitoes in the room. Normal mode is used for fewer mosquitoes and the Activ mode is used when there are many mosquitoes.
3. Cover Exposed Skin
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When in an area with a Japanese encephalitis outbreak, try your best to cover as much of your exposed skin as possible. Wear long-sleeved shirts, full trousers, sweatshirts, etc. to reduce the risk of getting bitten by a carrier mosquito to a minimum.
Reducing the exposure of your skin to mosquitoes can be greatly helpful in reducing the instances of mosquito bites, which consequently would also reduce the chances of you getting the virus. Even if you’re vaccinated for the virus, make sure that you still take care of this point.
4. Be protected outdoors
Adding to the previous point, while it is effective to cover up your exposed skin with clothing, it’s even more effective to go one step ahead by using a mosquito repellent on clothes for the absolute maximum protection possible.
A child-safe, natural product by the name of Goodknight Fabric Roll-On does well to serve this exact purpose. Just apply 4 dots on your clothes to keep away the mosquitoes and avoid instances of an infection.
The Goodknight Fabric Roll-On is available in two fragrances and protects for up to eight hours at a stretch. Keep it on you at all times, as you might need to replenish the protection once that time is up!
Japanese encephalitis is a dreadful disease and one must take absolutely every precaution possible to avoid getting infected by it. The points and advice that we’ve mentioned above should have you covered when it comes to preventing the instance of Japanese Encephalitis.
We hope you find the information useful to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy!
