Japanese encephalitis (JE), a severe epidemic infection of brain tissue seen in East and Southeast Asia and the South Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand. The virus is carried by domestic pigs and wild birds. The disease is characterized by shaking chills, paralysis, and weight loss and is caused by Flavivirus transmitted by the mosquito Culex tritaeniorhynchus. Symptoms include headache, fever, neck stiffness, tremors, seizures, spastic paralysis, and coma. Mortality rate ranges widely from 0.3% to 60%. Various neurological and psychiatric sequelae are common. An inactivated JE vaccine is available and recommended for travel to endemic areas. Treatment is supportive. Also called Japanese B encephalitis.
