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Cross Street Medical Clinic offers vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis. Speak to our doctors about what you may need. Female doctors are available by appointment.
What is Japanese Encephalitis?
Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus is an RNA virus that belongs to the genus Flavivirus.JE is the most important vaccine-preventable cause of encephalitis in the Asia-Pacific region.The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends integration of JE vaccination into national immunisation schedules in all areas where the disease is a public health priority.Although Singapore is NOT affected by this virus, travellers should consider vaccination if visiting affected countries, such as Indonesia, Philippines, Sarawak, Malaysia and parts of Peninsular Malaysia.
How do we contract Japanese Encephalitis
How to prevent Japanese Encephalitis
Vaccine should be considered for short-term (<1 month) travel to endemic areas and where activities during travel are likely to increase the risk of JE virus exposure, such as:
• Spending substantial time outdoors in rural or agricultural areas, especially during the evening or night
• Participating in extensive outdoor activities (such as camping, hiking, trekking, biking, fishing, hunting, or farming)
• Staying in accommodations without air conditioning, screens, or bed nets
• Travel to an area with an ongoing JE outbreak
• Travel to endemic areas and travellers who are uncertain of specific destinations, activities, or duration of travel JE vaccine is not recommended for short-term travel where visits are restricted to urban areas or if the travel period falls outside of well-defined JE virus transmission season.
Cross Street Medical offers vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis. Speak to our doctors about what you may need. Female doctors are available by appointment.
How can we tell that we may have Japanese Encephalitis
Most human infections with JE virus are asymptomatic; <1% of people infected with JE virus develop clinical disease. Acute encephalitis is the most commonly recognised clinical manifestation of JE virus infection. Milder forms of disease, such as aseptic meningitis or undifferentiated febrile illness can also occur. The incubation period is 5–15 days. Illness usually begins with sudden onset of fever, headache, and vomiting. Mental status changes, focal neurologic deficits, generalized weakness, and movement disorders may develop over the next few days.
Symptoms include:
• Mask-like facies
• Tremor
• Cogwheel rigidity
• Choreoathetoid movements
• Acute flaccid paralysis
• Seizures are common, especially among children
The risk of death is 20%–30%.
Among survivors, 30%–50% have serious neurologic, cognitive, or psychiatric symptoms.
Testing for Japanese Encephalitis
Laboratory diagnosis of JE virus infection is required. Suspected cases will be referred to hospital for screening and treatment.
What is the treatment for Japanese Encephalitis
There is no specific antiviral treatment for JE; therapy consists of supportive care and management of complications.